The Lagos State Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation (WAPA) has concluded its latest edition of the Life Skill Economic Empowerment Programme (LEEP) with a vibrant closing ceremony in Agbowa-Ikosi.
The four-week initiative provided free vocational training and start-up equipment to vulnerable women and youth in the Ikorodu division, including people with disabilities.
Speaking at the event, the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Cecilia Bolaji Dada, praised Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for his unwavering support for grassroots empowerment.
She noted that the LEEP program is a core part of the governor’s strategy to alleviate poverty through sustainable, people-focused initiatives.
“Today, we celebrate not only the end of a training cycle but the beginning of new possibilities,” Dada said.
She announced that over 250 participants from communities like Ikosi Ejirin, Owu-Ikosi, and Agbowa-Ikosi would receive free start-up kits to immediately begin their own businesses.
READ ALSO
The training covered a range of skills, including catering, hairdressing, fashion design, soap making, and tie-dye.
The Commissioner explained that the LEEP initiative is part of a broader statewide effort to reduce unemployment and promote financial independence among women and youth.
She highlighted that similar training programs have been successfully held in various locations across the state, including Ikorodu, Alimosho, and Eti-Osa.
She urged the new graduates to remain focused and make the most of the skills and tools they received.
Rianat Ajibike Onigbanjo, the Permanent Secretary of WAPA, who was represented by Funke Shyllon, thanked the governor for his commitment to empowering women and praised the commissioner for her efforts.
Onigbanjo emphasised that economic empowerment is a critical tool for poverty reduction, and with continued government support, lives and communities will be transformed.
The ceremony included an exhibition of products made by the trainees, goodwill messages from community leaders like HRM Oba Obayomi Nelson Ogunlari, the Olowu of Owu-Ikosi Kingdom, and the official presentation of certificates and start-up packs to the beneficiaries.
The LEEP programme is seen as a beacon of hope for underserved areas, aligning with the Sanwo-Olu administration’s vision of building a more economically resilient Lagos.
