Lagos ministry, board partner Foundation on wealth creation

•Wife of the president, Hajiya Aisha Buhari, inaugurated a 450,000 tonnes tomato paste processing plant built by ERISCO Foods recently in Oregun, Lagos State.

Determined to boost wealth creation in Lagos State, the Akinwunmi Ambode-led government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the I CARE Foundation, a non-govermental organisation. The pact, according to the initiators, will ensure that no able-bodied person, willing to work, is left on the streets of Ikorodu Federal Consitituency.

Speaking at the MoU signing ceremony tagged: ‘Startup Ikorodu,’  initiator of I CARE Foundation and member representing Ikorodu Federal Constituency at the national assembly, Hon. Jimi Benson, said the event was put together to ensure that the people of the constituency are well position to benefit from the wealth creation initiatives of the All Progressives Congress (APC) government in the state.

According to him, Governor Ambode has demonstrated his commitment to poverty eradication in the state by creating the Ministry of Wealth Creation and Employment. “Following his creation of the new Ministry of Wealth Creation and Employment, I’m left with no doubt in my mind that Governor Akinwunmi Ambode intends to keep his campaign promise to rid the state of joblessness and poverty.”

He added that with the initiative, apart from the plan to train willing youths in profitable ventures within a short time frame, his Foundation also seeks to create opportunities for budding entrepreneurs who engage in business opportunities within their local environment as means of self-sustenance.

The Commissioner for Wealth Creation and Employment, Tunde Durosinmi-Etti, who spoke at the event, said the idea comes in tandem with the Governor Ambode’s determination to ensure that the unemployment rate in the state is reduced to the barest minimum. He added that his ministry has a mandate to support progressive ideas that can bring about sustainable job creation and poverty eradication in the state.

“This is a different era. An era when we are more determined to teach our people how to fish than doling out fishes to them. Governor Ambode is highly interested in seeing the people of Lagos create jobs. He is desirous of not only ridding the state of unemployment, he also wants to create a prosperous society,” he said.

The Startup Ikorodu programme featured thousands of participants who trooped to the Regal Hall, Ikorodu venue to be informed on how they can key into the wealth creation project of the state government. The Foundation described it as a platform aimed at making youths financially independent.

According to Mayor Deen Sanwoola, Director-General of the Foundation, interested persons will be trained in different small scale businesses, while budding entrepreneurs would be assisted to benefit from the various empowerment programmes of both the state and the federal governments.

In his own remarks, LASTVEB boss, Olawunmi Gasper, a former Rector of the Lagos State Polytechnic, commended the collaboration, saying it is a veritable platform for unemployed persons to become successful. He urged youths to key into the programme in their own interest because, according to him, the initiative is most beneficial to the youths.