Kunle ADELABU
-As Rotary International District 9110, Nigeria commissions vocational centre in Igbogbo
The Governor of Lagos State, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, has stated that his administration has so far disbursed a total of N5.33 billion through the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF) to 6, 462 beneficiaries to establish and grow their businesses.
Ambode made this revelation at the commissioning of the Rotary Vocational Training Centre in Igbogbo, Ikorodu division, Southwest, Nigeria, on Monday, May 14,2018.
The Rotary Vocational Training Centre in Igbogbo, which is a collaboration efforts among the Rotary International district 9110 Nigeria, the Lagos State Government and Igbogbo/Bayeku Local Council Development Area, is a multi-skills acquisition centre with facilities for Catering & Hotel Management, ICT, Telephone & Computer Repair, Fashion Designing, Cosmetology & Gele Tieing, Shoe Making & Crafts and Music.
All the laboratories are well-equipped.
The Governor, who was represented at the event by the Honourable Commissioner for Physical Planning & Urban Development, Prince Rotimi Ogunleye, stated that his administration is not only attaching serious importance to vocational skill acquisition, but also providing those with skills with equipment and loan to start their businesses.
“The Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSTEF) has disbursed a total sum of N5.22billion to 6,462 beneficiaries to establish and grow their businesses to become big and thriving enterprises.
“Our administration will continue to partner with NGOs and corporate organizations like Rotary International to make life more comfortable and easy for our people.
“The completion and commissioning of this Vocational Centre is a promised fulfilled by the Governor of Rotary International District 9110, Dr Adewale Ogunbadejo.
“I am appreciative of the efforts of the Rotary in Nigeria, as well as the various chapters under the supervision of Rotary District 9110, in supporting government to alleviate the needs of our people.
“A lot of our communities have benefitted from the kind gestures of Rotary, cutting across critical sectors including health, education, environment and provision of basic amenities including water.
“I have no doubt that Rotary ideal has become entrenched and will continue to be passed from generation to generation.
“The Centre, with its accompanying equipment, will support the government’s effort in empowering the youth in the community as well as addressing the issue of unemployment.
Sen. Gbenga Ashafa, the Senator representing the Lagos East Senatorial District who helped the Rotary District 9110 Nigeria facilitated the land upon which the project was sited in Igbogbo through Asiwaju Olorunfunmi Basorun,while also speaking commended the club for its humanitarian and developmental activities.
“The completion of this project in less than a year after his investiture as the District Governor, goes a long way in confirming the dedication and commitment of Dr. Wale Ogunbadejo to the humanitarian and developmental ideals of Rotary International.
“The thing is clear, this project has been made possible by a synergy of different people who are committed to giving back to the society, empowering the younger generation and ensuring that the opportunity to learn is brought closer to the most populous demography in our constituency today, the youths.
He enjoined the young people in Lagos East Senatorial District to seize every given opportunity to learn skill/vocational and impact on the society with it.
Rotarian (Dr) Wale Ogunbadejo, the District Governor, Rotary International District 9110, in his own speech at the commissioning of the centre stated:
“As Rotarian, when we carry out community projects, our major aims are; the project must serve the purpose its meant for and must be sustainable after we would have left. Our partners usually are the state governments, federal government, other NGOs, parents –Teachers Forum/SMC/SUBEB (for school-based projects).
“In case of this project, we decided to build a hall in addition with the hope that the income from the hall, if well managed, can help this centre to withstand moments of financial stress in future.
“The cost of the hall was quite substantial but we thought that sustainability of the project is very important”.
Speaking on the aim of initiating and building the vocational centre, Dr Ogunbadejo stated: “I will like to reiterate that what we had in mind here is a non-formal vocational training centre where many of the partially-educated but unemployed/unemployable youths can be taught skills with which they can become self-dependent and be taken-off the streets”, he emphasized.
He appealed to the benefitting community to ensure that the facilities provided are secured for the benefits of the target audience.
Comrade Sesan Daini, the Chairman of the Igbogbo/Bayeku Local Council Development Area, in his remarks commended the Rotary District 9110 Nigeria for bringing the project to Igbogbo which he said would complement the efforts of the state and local authorities in empowering the youths.
He assured the donors that the facilities would be secured and also pledged the council’s continuous supports.
On his own goodwill message, Asiwaju Olorunfunmi Basorun stated that the entire Igbogbo community is thankful to the Rotary International District 9110 Nigeria for the gesture that would be of great benefit to the community.
Oba Semiudeen Orimadegun Kasali, in his royal message, stated that the project is a collaborative effort by the Rotary International, the Local Government and State Government which is primarily conceived to engaged and empower the youths.
He enjoined the youths to take advantage of the various skills that are going to be taught in the centre for their own benefits and warned them against violence and other criminal acts.
“I’m on the side of the law and support that our youths must be engaged. Any youth that is not ready to be engaged and decided to disturb the community is definitely going against the law and such must be ready to be on the other side of the law”, Oba Kasali warned.
Other dignitaries at the commissioning were Mary Beth Growney Selene, the representative of the Rotary International President, Mr Obafela Bank-Olemoh, Special Adviser to the Governor of Lagos State on Education who was represented by Dr Allison and Otunba Fatai Olukoga, former Special Adviser on Education among others.
