A member of the House of Representatives, Rep. Abass Adigun-Agboworin, (PDP – Ibadan Northeast/ Southeast Federal Constituency), has empowered over 200 women and physically challenged people in his constituency.
Prime news reports that 100 women who participated in soap, bleach and toilet disinfectant training received soap mixer, cooking gas cylinders and burners with N50,000 startup capital.
Other beneficiaries of the initiative include over 130 physically challenged people who received mobility adapted tricycles, crutches and walking sticks.
Presenting the items on Saturday in Ibadan, Adigun-Agboworin noted that the beneficiaries were evenly selected from the constituency and not majorly members of his party.
He added that the empowerment programme was primarily targeted at unemployed young married women so that they would be self employed and relief burden of home responsibilities on their husbands.
He noted that the stainless soap mixing machine and other tools presented to each beneficiary worth over N400,000, excluding N50,000 startup capital.
Agboworin urged beneficiaries not to sell the equipment but strive to expand the gesture so as to become employers of labour soon.
Also, the Oyo State Coordinator of the National Directorate of Employment(NDE), Mrs Olayinka Steve-Ogundipe, said that the empowerment would complement government’s efforts toward reducing unemployment in Nigeria.
She urged well-meaning Nigerians and other politicians to emulate the efforts of Rep. Adigun-Agboworin in eradicating poverty in the society.
Earlier, the wife of the Oyo State Governor, Mrs Tamunominini Makinde, commended Rep. Adigun-Agboworin for constantly demonstrating his dedication to empowering people of the state through various empowerment programmes.
She noted that similar empowerment programmes by Rep. Adigun-Agboworin in 2023 had created different opportunities, built confidence and increased earning power of the people in his constituency.
Empowerment is not just about providing financial support but also about creating opportunities for skills acquisition and development.
“This is the only way to success, sufficiency and long term economic growth; this will definitely make the beneficiaries economically self-reliant,” she said.
She commended the donor for giving the physically challenged mobility adapted tricycles, which she said would make them less dependent
A beneficiary, Mrs Faithia Gbadeyinka, who said she had not been able to secure a job after graduation, promised to use the training and startup tools received to change her current status in the society.
Also, Mr Timothy Adeleke, a physically challenged, who said he had always depended on family members and neighbours to move around, added that the adapted mobility tricycle would aid his means of transportation to work and other places.
Prime news reports that each beneficiary also got training certificates from the National Directorate of Employment and mentorship on how to register their businesses with Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC)
