Council chair marks first year with N500m empowerment programme

Dr. Oluseyi Jakande, the Chairman of Odi-Olowo/Ojuwoye Local Council Development Area, has marked his first year in office with a N500 million empowerment programme aimed at improving the livelihoods of residents and small businesses. The initiative, unveiled at an inauguration ceremony in Lagos, included minibuses, catering equipment, apprenticeship tools, and a N250 million loan facility.

Over 600 residents were empowered through vocational and skills acquisition programmes in various trades, including shoemaking, fashion designing, hairdressing, event planning, electrical and solar installation, and IT skills such as data analysis, graphics and animation, web development, and desktop publishing. Jakande emphasized that the empowerment programme was not just about immediate assistance but an investment in the future of residents, encouraging them to take the opportunity seriously and become sources of empowerment for others.

The council chairman also highlighted infrastructure developments, with 18 roads completed and four under construction, promising to expand the empowerment programmes and respond to community needs. Former Lagos State Commissioner Ganiyu Solomon commended Jakande's administration, urging beneficiaries to treat the empowerment items and loan facility as opportunities to transform their lives sustainably.