Ayobami Ife, Abeokuta
Over 15,000 people, including persons living with disability, have been taken out of the poverty line in the last few months in Ogun West senatorial district through empowerment, cash grants and skill acquisition trainings.
Senator Solomon Adeola disclosed this in Ilaro, the headquarters of Yewa South Local Government, while empowering 4,000 people including 200 graduates, 100 teachers, 100 students among others.
The Senate Committee Chairman on Finance facilitated the programme in conjunction with two MDAs namely; Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria and National Productivity Centre.
The 4000 trained beneficiaries were empowered with Computer Laptops, Tricycles, Makeup Kits, Hairdressing Saloon Equipment, Gas Cylinders, Cookers and other Confectionery Equipment, Grinding Machines, Deep Freezers, Sewing Machines, cash grants of N100,000 each for 200 trained physically challenged persons and N80,000 each for 587 Agric- Value Chain trainees.
Adeola who is the Senatorial candidate of All the Progressives Congress(APC) for Ogun West in Saturday National Assembly election, had two weeks earlier, empowered 5,500 market women and men with financial grants running into over N100million naira.
He noted that his leaving Lagos West for Ogun West was meant to renew the hope of the people, given the incapacitating economic challenges across the nation, saying his focus is to bring succor to many Nigerians that would have been left with no where to turn to by facilitating training and empowerment in equipment and cash grants.
According to him, beneficiaries can have a start making a living and contributing to the socio-economic development of the nation with the support materials they were given.
“My vision here is to further impact directly on critical sectors of the society in ways to cushion the effects of the downturn of the economy on vulnerable persons. Last year alone, I trained and empowered 3500 Ogun West citizens in various skills with all of them going away with various equipment for their learnt skills as well as startup grants. Equally last year I trained and empowered 200 youths with computer laptops from the senatorial district in the area of ICT while few weeks back another batch of 445 graduates have been trained to be internationally certified in different Microsoft software packages and are each being given a computer laptop today.
“Let me state clearly that beneficiaries of these programmes did not know me personally and there was no favoritism of any sort in selection as public announcement were made and candidates selected on merit from all 5 LGAs of the district.
“In course of my campaign tour of the senatorial district, I received about 60 requests for electric transformers and I made a promise of donating some transformers to various communities before the February 25 election. Today, 25 communities across the district are going back with the promised transformers while others will receive theirs after the election.
“I want to encourage and appeal to all beneficiaries to apply the knowledge gained using their supplied equipment and the grants to increase their various trades. This is not the time to sell equipment for pittance that will vanish in no time,” Adeola stated.
Also speaking separately at the occasion, former deputy governor of the state, Alhaja Salmot Badru, the Olu of Imasayi, Oba Lukman Koye and Eselu of Iselu, Oba Akintunde Akinyemi, commended Senator Adeola for lifting their people out of poverty and urged the constituents of Ogun West senatorial district to reciprocate the good gestures by voting him massively next Saturday and other APC candidates.
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