Lagos State Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation (WAPA) has trained wives of Police Community Relations and Police Officers’ Wives Association on various skills.
The women, who were drawn from the Maryland community the state, were trained for four weeks on skills such as event centre decoration, tie and dye, Gele tying and make-up application, Ankara craft and leather works.
Other skills include hairdressing and wig making, fabric stoning and embellishments, and throw pillow.
Speaking at the closing ceremony of the training, Cecilia Bolaji Dada, the state commissioner for Women Affairs, affirmed that the training, which was initiated by the state government, aimed to curb unemployment and empower citizens towards self-reliance in a bid to achieve a viable economy.
According to her, the state government is aware of the prevailing economic circumstance in the country.
“There is a dearth of ‘white collar jobs that are seriously going into extinction. It is in the realisation of this economic reality, that the Lagos State government established 19 functional skills acquisition centres, with 20 vocations being taught at these centres that are situated across the state, with additional yet-to-be commissioned centres at Agidingbi Road, Ikeja and one more centre at Ibeshe; hence, creating an avenue of self-sustainability for the Lagos citizenry,” she said.
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According to Dada, “The women were trained with specific target for economic empowerment and elevation of their status from the state of dependency to resourcefulness in providing the needs of their respective families.”
While commending Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for taking women empowerment as one of his focal policies aimed at mitigating the effects of poverty prevalence amongst women, she said: “When women are economically empowered, there is less tension in the home front and obvious reduction in domestic violence.’’
She however, challenged the graduating women to use the skills they have acquired to better their lives and those of the people around them.
The commissioner recalled that in the previous four weeks’ trainings, her ministry had reached communities like Agege, Orile-Agege, Iba, Oto-Awori, Mushin, Odi-Olowo, Iru, Ajido – Badagry, Ibeju, among others.
Representing the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Abiodun Sylvester Alabi, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Mary Ayim commended the state government for remembering police wives, adding that the skills they acquired would enable them contribute to the development of their families and the nation at large.
While describing the training as a laudable one, Helen Animashaun, coordinator, short term training for the programme, lauded the state Ministry of Women Affairs, adding, “Some of the women trained were jobless widows, some lost their spouses in the hand of Boko-Haram sect and there is no one to take care of their children. But, with this training, the women can now take care of themselves and their children as well.’’
Some of the beneficiaries who spoke also at the closing ceremony described the training as a turning point in their lives.
