Lagos poverty alleviation programs train over 48,000 residents in 2yrs- Commissioner

The Lagos State Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, WAPA, has disclosed that its empowerment initiatives and Poverty Alleviation programmes have impacted the lives of over 48,000 residents of the State in the last two years.

Addressing a Press Briefing commemorating the second year in office of the State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, held at Alausa Secretariat, Ikeja on Tuesday, Commissioner for WAPA; Hon. Cecilia Bolaji Dada, informed that the empowerment strategies initiated by the Ministry, had directly or indirectly benefited every family in Lagos State, including men, women, adult, youths, widows and the indigent residents across all the five divisions of the State

In the same vein, the Commissioner revealed that WAPA will also start exposing its trainees to the use of technology and also enlighten women on newer practices in vocational training, considering the effects of COVID-19 and the need to adapt with the new normal within the digital space.

"In view of this, there will be training of 500 women on entrepreneurial and digital marketing techniques come June 2021, as part of plans to mark this year's International Widows' Day."

"In addition, WAPA is equally expanding the scope of activities with a view to creating more avenues for our women to leverage on professional platform. That is why 5,780 participants were incorporated into our Mega Empowerment initiative, so that through their productivity, they can also contribute to the increase in GDP of Lagos State," Mrs. Dada stated.

On the training programmes by the Ministry, the Commissioner reported that there had been positive feedbacks on all the programmes offered at its Skills Acquisition Centres, either Short-Term, Medium - term and Long - term empowerment initiatives on different skills, stressing that the graduate trainees from the government's skills acquisition centres across the State are now contributing to the economic growth of the State , as employers of labour.

In her words; "Our Mandate is to ensure that there is zero tolerance for mediocrity being caused by Poverty, or induced by vulnerabilities from societal influences. This, we have achieved through the various trainings offered at the government-owned 19 skills acquisition centers in the State.

"The Ministry created platforms for International Women's Day, with highlights on the dynamisms of women and a plan of action for 'Women Assembly', with over 11,400 women in attendance from the 57 Local Government/Local Council Development Areas where issues that could deter women emancipation, as well as debar efforts exerted at curbing poverty, in our State were extensively discussed."

She added that a total of 3,337 adults also benefited from the intervention health programmes, initiated by WAPA, stressing that 6, 780 women from five geographical areas of the State, also had the privilege of learning different vocations with participants receiving adequate start-up kits to enable them grow their businesses.

While enumerating on the Ministry's participatory economic feat, the Commissioner recounted that 700 women attended the ' WAPA CONNECT' programme, with another 300 participants engaged in 'Entrepreneurial and Professional Conference' targeted at economic independence for the beneficiaries.

Recalling the involvement of WAPA in the production of Personal Protective Equipment like Face-Masks during the early period of covid-19 outbreak, the Commissioner reported that WAPA harnessed resources to support the public with the production of 500,000 Personal Protective Equipment produced at the Skills Acquisition Centres of the State, by trainees on the Skills Acquisition Programmes.

She averred that several other thousands beneficiaries, emerged from its various other programmes like training of women farmers in Cassava and Maize, snail rearing and grass- cutter breeding among others, engagement of women on good parenting about societal vices and domestic issues as well as social grants targeted at widows and many more, emphasizing that WAPA is truly committed to empowerment, and protection of our women, through programmes targeted at economic growth.