No fewer than 474 persons have benefited from the empowerment programme organised by the Irewole North-East Local Council Development Area, Wasinmi-Ikire, State of Osun.
The empowerment programme which was held at the council’s secretariat recently, witnessed the convocation of youths who had undergone training in tailoring and farming among others.
The beneficiaries were selected indigent youths, women and farmers drawn from all the 36 units of the LCDA.
The Executive Chairman of the Council, Hon. Adeboye Tajudeen Opeyemi, explained that the empowerment programme was aimed at liberating the youths in the area from the unemployment crisis confronting the country and that it was designed to mould them to be self-reliant.
He averred that the gesture was a clear testimony to the seriousness of his administration towards banishing poverty, promotion of quality living and sustainable development, which, according to him, is embedded in the Governor Rauf Aregbesola Six-points integral Action Plan.
Describing empowerment as the process of increasing the capacity of individuals or groups and transform it to desire action, Opeyemi said he would leave no stone unturned to ensure that the people of the council area become financially independent through employment.
He noted that the four beneficiaries of sewing machine passed through the training session for a period of three months, while 100 farmers, 120 financial grant beneficiaries and 250 beneficiaries of food and cloth fabrics, under relief materials, were fully screened and certified in their various communities.
He said the distributed items and financial grant will go a long way to assist the beneficiaries to be self-reliant and promote their living standard, hence giving them the opportunity to contribute their quotas towards the development of the Council.
The council boss said: “We will continue to pursue youth and women development policy with renewed vigour. More skill acquisition programmes would be organized in no distant time for another set of youths and women folk while strategies for marketing their finished products would be worked out accordingly”.
Promising to continue to compliment the efforts of Governor Aregbesola in his bid to transform the state to the greater heights, Opeyemi appreciated the Governor for his untiring support for the development of the LCDA’s programmes that have direct and indirect impact on the people at the grassroots.
The Leader of the council’s parliament, Hon. Ademola Owoade said the gesture was part of the efforts to fulfill the promise made during the electioneering campaign.
Owoade explained that the empowerment programme was designed as an avenue for them to give back to the people at the council area.
He said: “I want to tell you that there is no excuse for us not to work, Governor Aregbesola had already set a standard for us to follow at whatever condition we find ourselves.”
“We must work for our people, we must do the bidding of our people who gave us their mandate and entrusted on us their manadate” Owoade said.
Among the dignitaries at the empowerment programme are the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Barr Kolapo Alimi, Hon. Akinola Olasunkanmi, Com. Wale Adebisi, Local Government Chairmen, traditional rulers, religious leaders, market men and women among others.
