The Chairman of the House Committee on Budget and Economic Planning in the Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Gbolahan Yishawu said he empowered 117 women so that they could support their husbands and provide for their families.
Yishawu disclosed this over the weekend during the GOYF Women Vocational Skills graduation ceremony and start-up support program held at Y Arena BATSHETTIMA hall.
Yishawu, representing Eti-Osa State Constituency II, said that the skill acquisition would assist the women to be independent and also provide for both their families and neighbors.
“The essence of the skill acquisition program is to give you a livelihood. You might have what you are doing but this will generate more money for you and your family.
“This programme is for women to assist their husbands and it is good for women to have something to do. Women are not meant to take care of the homes alone, but to contribute to the family in case anything happens because death is inevitable to mankind,” he said.
The lawmaker disclosed that he has organized different programs that enriched the constituencies in the last four years.
According to him, We have done programs that will strengthen our constituents to be able to make living. We try to do programs that will enrich the constituents in health, education, and skill acquisition.
“Why we center the program on women is because they are the ones that uphold the family. We have 141 women that started the program, and 117 completed it. The high percentage shows that they are interested in the program and they are tenacious about it,” he added.
The lawmaker assisted the women with start-up funds and the 21 best students out of the graduands went home with different tools which include: a knitting machine, hairdressing tools, a baking machine, a microwave amongst others.
Speaking at the event, a chieftain of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Alhaji Daramola Arobadade urged the graduates to make use of the skills judiciously and also be employers of labour.
“I know of doctors and lawyers who acquired different skills that earn them more money than their chosen profession. The only way you can appreciate your sponsor is to work with the tools given to you,” he said.
Some of the graduands, who are Hausas, expressed gratitude to the lawmaker for his kind gesture and prayed for his re-election next year.
One of the graduates, Mrs. Marina Dahiru appreciated Yishawu for empowering his constituents, adding that she has commenced baking cakes and other things with the knowledge she got from the program.
Abijo Peace, another graduand, commended the lawmaker for the program and promised to make use of the skills and also employ people.
Mrs. Alima Bawa, who was in-charge of the catering department, expressed joy over the performance of the students.
She also appreciated the lawmaker for sponsoring the program.
“My students are the best because they have started making money from the training they got from the program before graduation. I want to urge them that they should work with what they have learned. The training cut across all tribes. I want them to go on the internet to learn more about what we taught them,” she added.
The skills areas in the program included Catering, Knitting, Hairdressing, henna design, fashion designing, tie and dye among others.
