Bolanle Ambode, wife of the governor of Lagos State has urged women to embrace skill acquisition by applying to any of the skill acquisition centres provided by the State government for their economic and personal empowerment.
She made the remarks at the commissioning of Funmilayo Mobolaji Johnson Skill Acquisition Centre, in Ajah, a suburb of Lagos, donated by two firms, Huawei Technologies Limited and Fortis Project Services.
She noted that the Akinwunmi Ambode administration was committed to ensuring that residents are gainfully employed, stressing that, this can be achieved through direct employment or skill acquisition.
She explained that it is no longer fashionable for women to be idle and expect the husband to bankroll the family expenses, stressing that, having something to contribute to home upkeep will go a long way in lifting the family.
“It is not advisable that ladies and women should live entirely on the income of their husbands. It is always helpful that the woman has something to contribute to the upkeep of the home. It also puts her in a respectable position in the family,” she said at the commissioning.
She added that “Lagos State has no less than seventeen skill acquisition centres, located around the State, for the purpose of training people, especially women, ladies, widows and school drop-outs in various skills like leather works, computer studies, bead and hat-making etc”.
She lauded Fortis Project Services and Huawei Technologies Limited for building the centre, which according to her, had brought great empowerment opportunities closer to the people.
Also speaking at the launch, Commissioner for Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Hon. Lola Akande, commended the companies for their corporate social responsibility initiative, noting that, the gesture would go a long way in reducing unemployment among women in the State.
Managing Director of Fortis Project Services, Mr. Richard Adebayo and his Huawei Technologies counterpart, Mr.Leo Li, noted that the building of the skill centre, was motivated by their firm’s passion, to improve the welfare of the ordinary people in the State.
Also speaking at the event was the Chinese Consul-General in Nigeria, Mr. Lao Xiao, described Lagos as the pearl of West Africa, adding that Nigeria and China will always remain strategic partners for mutually beneficial economic relations.