Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has promised continuous skill acquisition programmes to create jobs across the state. 

Mr Aiyedatiwa stated this on Tuesday in Akure at the graduation of the first batch of the 2025 Graduating Skill Acquisition Trainees titled, “O’Datiwa Skill Up a Woman Initiative.”

The beneficiaries with skills ccutting across tailoring, interior decoration, soap making, catering, and Information and Communication Technology (ICT), were gifted sewing machines, flour mixers and ovens, and laptops, while some got grants as start-up capital.

The governor, represented by his deputy, Laide Adelami, said the government would ensure regular monitoring of the training centres and strengthen partnerships where necessary for apprenticeship and job placement.

According to him, the goal of the programme is to reduce unemployment, eradicate poverty and build a vibrant, self-reliant economy.

Mr Aiyedatiwa said the programme was aimed at the transformation of beneficiaries from unemployed folks into skilled, confident and empowered beings.

He asked the beneficiaries to make use of the materials and grants judiciously, urging them to use their skills wisely and ethically and pay attention to quality and customer satisfaction.

Also, the state Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Seun Osamaye, said the empowerment would enable the beneficiaries to make a good living.

Ms Osamaye noted that some of the beneficiaries before the training had been shattered and hopeless with no tangible source of earning a living.

The commissioner added that the empowerment would give the beneficiaries a substantive means of survival.

According to her, the state government has shown to the world that women do not need feeding money nor tokenism but empowerment to be self-reliant  and build the upcoming generations.

She described women as multipliers with the ability to invest if empowered.

Ms Osamaye said the 200 beneficiaries, having undergone six months of training, would no longer be ridiculed  because they were empowered with their skills as a means of sustainability. 

(NAN)