Lagos State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Mrs. Bolaji Cecilia Dada, on Friday disclosed that over 15,000 students have benefitted from the State’s Skill Acquisition Programme, with more than 10,000 vulnerable women empowered across the State with business tools and cash grants.
Speaking at a ministerial press conference in Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos, Dada announced that 10,464 students had already graduated from the 20 Skill Acquisition Centres across the five divisions of the State, while another 5,013 are set to graduate in the next two months.
“These centres are critical to our strategy for economic empowerment,” she said.
“As a responsible government, we will continue to sustain these programmes in line with our Ministry’s mandate.”
In addition to skill training, she disclosed that 10,385 indigent and vulnerable women had been supported with working tools and startup capital, including POS machines, barbing sets, hairdryers, cameras, sewing and stoning machines, barbecue grills, industrial cookers, and digital marketing tablets.
The Commissioner added that widows and dependents of Nigeria’s fallen soldiers were not left out of the scheme.
Dada also highlighted Lagos State’s successful implementation of the NG-CARES initiative, a Federal Government intervention aimed at reducing post-pandemic hardship.
She revealed that under the programme’s Livelihood Support arm (DLI 1.3), the Ministry empowered 7,322 vulnerable residents across all 57 LGAs and LCDAs with soft skills training and business grants to promote entrepreneurship and cushion economic shocks.
“These interventions have not only supported household incomes but also helped boost the local economy and reduce dependency,” she noted.
Turning to public health, the Commissioner affirmed the Ministry’s commitment to menstrual hygiene awareness. In celebration of Menstrual Hygiene Day, WAPA has reached thousands of girls with health education and essential supplies.
“Since 2023, 16,000 young girls have received free sanitary pads as part of our effort to promote dignity, school attendance, and equal opportunity,” she stated.
