Francesca Odimgbe
No fewer than 1,700 indigent Lagos State residents have been empowered with life skills and resources through Micro Enterprise Support Initiative (MESI) to transform lives, foster entrepreneurship and enhance their socio-economic wellbeing.
The initiative, being undertaken by the Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, practically demonstrated the State Government’s determination to ensure inclusivity in programmes designed to drive economic growth from the grassroots.
MESI intervened in equipping vulnerable residents with modern skills in their chosen crafts and creating better means of livelihood for them.
At the graduation ceremony held on Tuesday at De Blue Roof in Agidingbi, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu presented working tools and start-up capital to the beneficiaries, who undertook the extensive entrepreneurial programmes.
Sanwo-Olu said MESI was one of the critical interventions leveraged by his administration to address poverty at the grassroots and improve standard of living.
The Governor said the initiative had not only demonstrated his Government’s commitment to addressing root causes of poverty, but also a way to directly impact lives and deliver dividends of democracy.
He said: “This is a deliberate bottom-up action being taken to uplift communities through a family member. The training offered a range of skills that are mostly peculiar to women, because that is the gender that is generally vulnerable. If a household is empowered, it will have a ripple impact on the family, and the community. From the community, the impact is felt in the Local Government Area and then across the State. This is how growth is achieved from the grassroots.
“We have invested close to N10 billion in various interventions aimed at supporting vulnerable residents in skill development and economic empowerment. With this modest start-up capital and working tools given freely to you, it is my hope that you will build a strong income base that can sustain your immediate needs and life your household out of want.”
The Governor said the intervention would boost productivity in informal sector, which he described as “a key component” of the State’s economy. He pledged continuous investment in entrepreneurship and skill development, noting that the move would not only improve means of livelihood for beneficiaries but also strengthen economic growth in the State.
“This is a tremendous opportunity for you to use the working tools wisely and use them to grow your businesses. Your success and progress will justify the efforts and resources we have committed to this initiative,” Sanwo-Olu told the beneficiaries.
First Lady, Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, represented by the wife of the Deputy Governor, Mrs. Oluremi Hamzat, described MESI as “a shining example” of the Sanwo-Olu administration’s commitment to creating economic opportunities for women to achieve inclusive growth and development.
Dr. Sanwo-Olu said the initiative had not only provided financial incentives for women in micro-enterprises, but had also equipped them with latest skills to thrive in their crafts.
The First Lady said: “It is of note that countless individuals have benefited from this initiative and they have turned their passion into successful businesses that sustain their families. Despite this commendable effort, there is still so much to be to close the gap of economic inequality.”
She urged beneficiaries to make judicious use of the opportunity to make positive changes in their lives.
Commissioner for Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Mrs. Bolaji Dada, said the intervention was aimed to truly restore the dignity of individual beneficiary, and to support them to move from dependency to independence.