By Millicent Ifeanyichukwu
No fewer than 455 trained indigent persons from the Lagos State COVID-19 Action Recovery Economic Stimulus (NG-CARES) short-term Skills Acquisition programme have received N150,000 grant each to establish some skills.
Mrs Cecelia Dada, Commissioner for Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation (WAPA), while congratulating the beneficiaries in her address, urged them to channel the money to the purpose for which it was given.
Dada spoke at the closing ceremony of the NG-CARES Programme project organised by WAPA under its existing platform, held at Skill Acquisition Centre, Apapa, in collaboration with Lagos State Government (LASG), Federal Government and supported by the World Bank.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that NG-Lagos Care project is a commendable Social-Economic intervention initiative targeted at vulnerable women and indigents in Lagos State.
Dada said the idea behind the training was for economic empowerment and elevation of status of beneficiaries from the state of dependency to self reliance.
“You all have to make best use of this opportunity.
“You are not the only indigents or people in Lagos that needs such intervention but God in his infinite mercy has counted you worthy to be beneficiaries of this programme.
“This money is not for aso-ebi’ or `faji’.
The Lagos State has chosen you to benefit from this programme irrespective of your ethnicity, trouble or religion bus long as you live in Lagos.
“N150,000 is a big money, and I hope, pray and urge you to use the money to alleviate yourself and establish the skill you have learnt,” she said.
According to the commissioner, the NG-Lagos CARE Project is carried out by Livelihood Support team, assigned with the responsibility of conducting a physical verification exercise for final selection of beneficiaries for the programme.
She noted that beneficiaries were selected from the Lagos State Social Register and Household Enterprise in the informal sector, adding that there were criteria for household to receive grants.
“The ability and capability of individuals to be productive agile as well as engaged in some form of micro enterprise, there is an approved grant size to be disbursed.
“This is ranging from N20,000 to N200,000, based on the screening of micro business plans submitted by beneficiaries, she added.
Also speaking, Mr Yakubu Salu, member, State NG-CARES Coordinating Unit, admonished beneficiaries to give back to the authorities value for the grant by putting to good use skills and grant.
Salu advised the graduands to keep records of activities as an Independent Verification Agency (IVA) would visit them for verification, adding, “write the date you’re trained, the amount and bank details.
“You must make sure you buy the equipment because the IVA have your data and will surely come to your end to check if you actually invested the money,” he said.
Similarly, Mrs Oluwatoyin Salami, Head of Livelihood Support Platform of NG-CARES, DLI 1.3, said the main objective was to conduct short-term livelihood and skill training to 2,145 indigents cut across using existing WAPA platform with a one-grant to assist them for takeoff.
Salami noted that 2,366 out of the 7,533 names in the Lagos State Social Register had so far been validated, while 1,520, who cut across seven local governments were enrolled for the training.
According to Salami, it’s a World Bank-assisted programme to all state in Nigeria, basically to boost back the local economy following effects of COVID-19 Pandemic on people’s businesses and to ensure they bounce back.
“This 455 beneficiaries are from Apapa, Amuwo Odofin and Ajeromi Ifelodun who have been trained in various skills and are today benefiting from the disbursement fund of this laudable initiative,” she added.
Meanwhile, Zainab Isa, one of the beneficiaries from Kano who majored in makeup/“gele” tying, expressed gratitude to the WAPA.
Isa said she was impressed that the LASG carried all tribes and religion residing in Lagos along on the programme.
“Today is one of my happiest days, Lagos State government has bettered my life, today I have handwork and money to set up, even though I am not Yoruba, thanks to our dear commissioner of WAPA,” she joyfully.
Also Umejei Awele, a photography beneficiary, said the skill and empowerment opportunity had made her independent.
She promised to use the skill to do exploits and support her family. (NAN)