Nation
Lagos Empowers 450 Unemployed Youths
A crowd of Rivers people waiting to collect application forms for the Small and Medium-scale Enterprises Scheme of the State Ministry of Commerce and Industry in 2007. Photo: Chris Monyanaga
The Lagos State Government has empowered about 450 unemployed youths, who graduated from the states vocational and training centres with tools that will enable them practice their vocation as well as become employers of labour.
Speaking at the ceremony which held at Adeyemi- Gbero Auditorum in Alausa, Ikeja Lagos, Friday, the state Governor, Mr Babatunde Fashola (SAN), described the development as a deliberate policy of government to eradicate poverty from the society. Our correspondence reports that Governor fashola, who was represented by his special Adviser on special duties, Mr Adekunle Odubela, said it was a further manifestation of the fruits of true democracy and good governance with the lives of the citizens receiving the necessary attention by their own government.
According to him, “since the administration of our immedicate predecessor, job creation, empowerment programme has been a key component of the 10-point agenda.”
He added that the present administration has also made it one of the major channels of empowering the people through programmes that will equip them with skills that can make them employers of labour and self-dependent.
He said the youth will be engaged in a more meaningful endeavour that would make them useful to themselves and the society at large, urging them to make the best use of opportunity.
“We believe that the provision of job opportunities and social amenities for the less privileged in the state creates the right environment for our people to realize their potentials, improve and enhance their living conditions,” he stressed.
Fashola stated that the only way to take youth out of crime and other social vices is to create the enabling environment for them to be gainfully employed.
He said the government “expects every resident in the state to be committed, dedicated and determined to support the policy thrust of the present administration on the provision of an enabling environment for the less privileged, especially the unemployed youths.”
The Governor noted that, by so doing, the youths would discover their potentials, enhance their creativity and self reliance.
He called on the many unemployed youths to utilize the opportunity the programme provided, adding that, “the government is ready to take them on board as the over all plan is to considerably reduce the desire for paid employment through constant organization of skill acquisition programmes.
Earlier, the commissioner for Special Duties, Dr Tola Kasali, who was represented by the Director of Finance, Mr Numdeen Salami, disclosed that each of the beneficiaries has the potentials of making an average income of about N20,000 per month after acquiring the necessary skills.
Kasali said the development would help boost government effort in ensuring life long income generation for the beneficiaries.
The Alliance Française Port Harcourt in conjunction with the Embassy of France Nigeria over the weekend joined the globe to campaign against the 2025 gender- based violence (GBV) with the theme: “16 Days of Activism Against Gender- Based Voice”
The event which took place at the event Hall of the Alliance Française Port Harcourt was in collaboration with the Female in Gaming Network, ( FIGN) and partnership with Nexal a body that seeks to promote online safety and responsible digital behaviour.
The Tide reports that the project which was aimed at promoting digital safety and girls inclusion in Gaming, with the initiative tagged ‘Gameover Gender- Base Violence’was part of the global campaign against gender- based Violence.
The activity which experienced a flavour of festivity was full of fun and excitements as participants took part in tournaments on popular digital games such as Mario kart and EAFC 25, with an intent to creating safer and more inclusive digital spaces.
The Director of the Alliance Française Port Harcourt, Mrs Marina Lacal said that these activities were designed to encourage inclusion of girls, team work and fair play on online gaming spaces, saying that the gaming world reflects these inequalities, where female players are often under represented.
According to her the main objectives of the initiative was to provide a supportive environment for girls and female in gaming network.
“GameOverGBV” is a project created to reshape this landscape by offering an innovative inclusiveness of girls on online digital Gaming community and digital environments that provide opportunities for creativity, learning and connection, but also fight against Gender-Based Violence Digital Gaming,”she said
She however, explained that the Digital Game, sport competitions, was launched to strengthen social and digital skills through games, workshops, and raise awareness among all young participants about respect, equality and digital citizenship.
The Tide News reports that in Port Harcourt, the competition brought together 100 young participants from three major universities: University of Port Harcourt, ( UNIPORT),Ignatius Ajuru University of Education(IAUE) and Rivers State University (RSU)as well as students from four selected secondary schools, Oginigba comprehensive Secondary.School, Vine lnternational, Virgo predicanda lnternational, and Excellent Montessori Secondary school.
“This is an approach where girls and boys can learn, play and collaborate in a more respectful and safe space for young women, while ensuring a safe, enjoyable and respectful digital environment. It also expose young women to cyberbullying, exclusion, sexist comments and online hate,” Mrs. Lacal said.
Earlier, a game developer Sophia Nei and her. team had engaged participants in an interactive session with the theme: “Can Video Games Be Safe Spaces For Girls?”
However, Mrs Nei and her team educated the girls on the benefits and violence on online digital gaming and urged them ( participants)to learn to say ‘No’ to Online hate, sexist and cyber bullying, while encouraging them(students) to stand up for themselves by reporting such issues to the appropriate authority.
Highlight of the competition was the awarding of prizes to winners by the Director of Alliance Française, Mrs Marina Lacal.
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