As part of post-COVID-19 economic revival plans, the State Government of Osun is partnering with the LAG INITIATIVE and the One Community – One-Industry, for capacity building and empowerment programme in Ede Federal Constituency.
The four-day programme, which was designed to help unemployed persons build a viable business around their passion, had about 400 beneficiaries from the constituency in attendance.
In her opening remarks, the Commissioner for Human Resources and Capacity Building for the State of Osun, Alhaja Latifat Abiodun Giwa, who also doubles as the Initiator of LAG Initiative, emphasized that entrepreneurship and agriculture were the strength of future economy of the State, country and world at large.
She stated that empowering the selected beneficiaries, comprising Older Vulnerable Youths and Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) from Ede North, Ede South, Egbedore and Ejigbo of the Ede Federal Constituency, was to compliment the efforts of Governor Adegboyega Oyetola in the areas of Capacity Building, Empowerment and Entrepreneural Development as well as poverty alleviation in Osun.
Giwa further disclosed that the LAG Initiative Capacity Building and Empowerment was supported by Jaiz Bank, and that on completion of the training program, beneficiaries would be able to access loan facilities from the bank for the execution of their business plans.
She called on everyone to look out for the emergence of entrepreneurs in Snail Farming, Black Soap Making, Hand Sanitizer Production, Coconut Oil Processing, Animal Feed Processing, Locust Beans Processing and Agro Waste-to-Wealth, among others.
Further, Giwa mentioned that the empowerment programme held in Eden Federal Constituency was a pilot programme, adding that the scheme would be replicated in other constituencies of the State.
In her presentation, the Initiator of One Community – One Industry, Mrs Victoria Oluwaseun, commended the Osun State Government and the LAG Initiative for making Empowerment of unemployed persons a priority despite the limitations of the Covid-19;pandemic, adding that the effect of the programme would be evident through an increase in the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of the State as a result of the establishment of small scale businesses.
