By Olasunkanmi Akoni

Lagos State Government through the Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, WAPA, has distributed various items to about 2,100 persons under the year 2023 Micro-Enterprise Support Scheme, MESI of the state.

Out of the beneficiaries, 60 were snail farmers who had gone through trainings at government-approved vocational centres.

Others got milling machines, sewing machines, professional hair-dryers, barbing kits with sterilising units and generators, pop-corn machines, sharwama grillers and toasting machines, snail pens, industrial gas cookers, tile laying machines, and gari processing equipment to enhance their trade proficiencies.

Addressing the beneficiaries, on Thursday, held at Skills Acquisition Center, Isheri-Olowoira. Berger area of the state, Commissioner for Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Mrs. Cecila Dada, disclosed that the MESI programme has so far empowered 10,385 beneficiaries who have full Lagos State Residents Reigistration Agency, LASRRA registrations, irrespective of ethnicity and religion, from 2019 till date.

Dada said: “During the last phase of this programme, we gave out garri processing machines, and we have also trained various categories of women at Avia Farm in Badagry.

“For us as a ministry, we don’t just allow our trainees walk away, but we support them with materials to enable them start their businesses.

“We just concluded training for about 60 women on snail farming and we felt we should help them start the business; that is why we have built pens for them and they will also get snails.

“Also, you will note that we have included men and youths in our empowerment schemes because everyone must be financially stable and that is why the number has increased.

“The recipients were selected from the five ibile divisions of Lagos State considering their vulnerability for financial sustainability.

“Our mandate in the Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation is to curb poverty to its barest minimum among active women, and also protect their rights through women-focused programmes.

“Our vision is to fervently build a team of highly resourceful women who are well – groomed for the formidable task of achieving a progressive Lagos, well rooted in financial literacy.”