Lagos State Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation (WAPA), has supported women and other vulnerable groups in the state with necessary tools and equipment to enable them start up their own micro businesses.
The event, which came under the theme, ‘Year 2022 Micro-Enterprise Support Initiative’ (MESI) was organised by the state government through the Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation.
The beneficiaries were drawn from various faith-based groups, students of the 20 skills acquisition centres across the state, vulnerable women and indigents from the 20 local governments and 37 local council development area, the state operations coordinating unit register and artisans from various associations.
They were given android phones for digital marketing, milling machines, sewing machines, grillers and toasters, pop-corn machines, barbing kits with generators and sterilising unit, as well as professional hair – dryers, targeted to alleviate poverty across all communities of Lagos state.
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Speaking at the event which took place at Isheri skill acquisition centre Beger, the state commissioner of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Cecilia Bolaji Dada described the intervention programme as crucial, adding that “it is coming at a period, when nations all over the world, private sector and civil societies, clam out for better ways to eradicate poverty and accelerate women empowerment, using local economic developmental strategies, which is the corner – stone for sustainable national development.’’
According to Dada, women have a crucial and central role to play in shaping the society at the social, economic and political platforms and that when they are empowered through such initiatives, the country would achieve sustainable economic and social development.
Lamenting the increased level of poverty in developing countries in the last two decades, the commissioner said: “This has not significantly abated till date, especially in Nigeria. In fact, a sizable number of people especially women across the country, endure lives of abject poverty.
