Commissioner tasks unemployed youth on skill acquisition

The Lagos State Commissioner for Wealth Creation and Employment, Pharmacist Uzamat Akinbile-Yusuf has advised Nigerian youths, especially those seeking employment to acquire soft skills in order to fit into the current paradigm shift in the labour market.

The Commissioner, who made the call today at the Youth Entrepreneurship Mentoring Seminar organised by the Ministry, observed that following the paradigm shift, most employers now emphasize individuals’ skill as against certificate qualifications.

She said that the current administration is committed to reducing the rate of unemployment by encouraging the people to be self-employed, adding that the realization prompted the establishment of Ministry of Wealth Creation and Employment, among other intervention, to champion development, create wealth and employ the people of the State.

Akinbile-Yusuf also disclosed that the Ministry is collaborating with Betti-O Foundation School of Fashion, an arm of ‘Ruff N Tumble’ for the training of 50 youths in the art of fashion design and garments under its Sustainable Enterprise Development Programme, just as it had also concluded partnership with Auto-Medics to train technicians so as to meet the challenges of modern automobile repairs.

“In a bid to encourage the growth and development of Entrepreneurship as the catalyst for economic growth as well as solve the problem of access to capital, the State Government established the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF) aimed at providing affordable credit to assist entrepreneurs in implementing their business ideas thereby providing the mechanism for stimulating growth, reducing unemployment as well as addressing youth restiveness”, the Commissioner said.

She explained that the various measures of the government in the area of empowerment are aimed at raising the skill level of entrepreneurs to match the demands and needs of the society, especially with new technologies being developed around the world.

One of the facilitators at the event, Mr. Lanre Oniyitan of Holistic Business Solutions, admonished the participants to leverage on the opportunity of being graduates to do things better than not too literate persons.

He maintained that there is always a business angle to every human activity and challenged the youth to explore the business opportunities based on their identified skills in order to make a living with it.

Ambode canvasses patronage of made in NIgeria products for MSME growth

AgegePulse Magazine

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode has underscored the need to increase patronage of locally made products and also expand the capacity of Micro, Small Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in the State, assuring that his administration will continue to pay greater attention to the sector.

 The Governor who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Wealth Creation and Employment, Dr. Olajide Bashorun, made this known during the Lagos Small Business Summit held at Terra Kulture, Victoria Island, Lagos.

 He described the theme of the summit "Creating exponential institutions: how government and small businesses can keep up with the market" as very apt considering the need for effective partnership between government institutions and the organized stakeholders in Small and Medium Enterprises, SMEs.

 Governor Ambode explained that the summit throws a challenge to all players, both public and private, to look inwards and develop the internal and external capacities of other sectors for steady growth and global competitiveness.

 While making case for the informal sector, Ambode said "we must significantly reduce our taste for foreign-made goods because it is detrimental to the survival and growth of SMEs and their capacity to create wealth and generate employment for our teeming unemployed youths.

 He listed several incentives provided to operators of SMEs under the present administration, saying that tradesmen and artisans in different vocations recently completed a training programme organized by the State Government to further enhance their capacity.

 "During the celebration of the 2017 Day for artisans and tradesmen few weeks back, I directed the various Ministries, Departments and Agencies of the State Government to henceforth, accord greater recognition to members of the informal sector in terms of increasing patronage for the products of SMEs in line with the State's 'Buy Made in Nigeria Campaign' ‘’the Governor stated.

 He added that the State government had also resolved to engage the services of small and medium scale artisans in the execution of government contracts.

 According to him, the Ministry of Wealth Creation and Employment was established by the current administration to implement policies aimed at enhancing the capacity of SMEs to harness their contribution to economic growth and development.

 He also said that the Employment Trust Fund was set up to address the challenge of lack of access to funding, stressing that the responses from applicants of the initiative show that young people are willing to take advantage of opportunities when given.

 "As we speak, over N3.5billion Naira has been disbursed to over 6,000 beneficiaries who are at different stages of executing their businesses plan” he stated.

 He assured participants at the summit that government will continue to promote opportunities for MSMEs to thrive by focusing on the development of infrastructure and its processes to improve and enhance the competitiveness and productivity of MSMEs in the State.

 Also speaking at the event, the Chairman, Planning Committee of the 2017 SME 100 Nigeria, Lagos Small Business Summit, Mr. Tope Adekoya commended the Governor for prioritizing the development of small businesses and for his willingness to help these businesses thrive.

 He explained that the idea of bringing all relevant stakeholders together at the Summit is basically to foster discussions on how to build a more successful, industrious and entrepreneurial State.

BBC Awards: Agege LG Boss Urges Nigerians To Vote For Victor Moses

...Promises free Wi-Fi Access to LG workers, visitors to vote


As the race to vote for the 2017 BBC African Footballer of the year heats up, football enthusiast and Agege Local Government Council Chairman, Alhaji Abdulganiyu Egunjobi has urged Nigerians to use the country's impressive population to vote massively for Super Eagles’ winger, Victor Moses.

Asisat Oshoala presenting Alh . Egunjobi award for his contribution
 to the Football Clinic while Deji Tinubu and Mrs. Ambode watch 

Egunjobi gave the charge after receiving an award from the organiser of Asisat Oshoala Foundation and Lagos State Secondary School Girls Football Clinic for his contribution to the clinic at Agege Stadium.

Recall Moses was nominated alongside Gabonese Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Guinean Naby Keita, Senegalese Sadio Mane and his Liverpool teammate, Mohammed Salah of Egypt.

In a statement signed by Egunjobi’s Special Adviser on Media, Mr Rotimi Sulyman, the chairman was quoted as saying the winners of the BBC African Footballer Award were determined by public voting.


The football loving Chairman however, urged the people of Agege who are known for having special love of the round leather game to overwhelmingly append their votes for Moses to ensure overwhelming victory for the Nigerian.

The statement reads in pairs: “May I use this medium to call on all residents of Agege to go on the internet, and vote en masse for Victor Moses, who has been nominated for BBC African Footballer of the Year, 2017.

“Your vote will make Moses emerge winner of the prestigious award and become the second Nigerian to win it after Austin Jay Jay Okocha. So go on the internet and cast your vote for him.”

“On Nov, 23 and Nov. 24, I will be offering free wifi access to all visitors and workers of Agege Local Government at the Council while mobilising them to vote for Moses.

“Voting for the award will close at 1800 GMT on Nov. 27 while the winner will be announced on Monday Dec. 11, live on BBC World TV and BBC World Service Radio,” said Egunjobi.

Ambode Employment Trust Fund: Prospects for Agege

It is no more news that the Lagos State governor, Akinwunmi Ambode recently flagged off the Employment Trust Fund, an initiative designed to empower unemployed youth, business owners and entrepreneurs. Also, the Lagos State Civic Engagement in Collaboration with The Lagos State Ministry of Wealth Creation and Employment swung into action to sensitize the public on how unemployed youths could tap into the initiative, what is new is that it is an avenue for the hardworking artisans, and Small and Medium Enterprises that litter Agege LGA and Orile-Agege, LCDA to witness massive turn around if they key into the initiative and consequently, gainfully employ the thousands of unemployed youth in the area. Therefore, it is imperative to breakdown how to access the N25billion Lagos Employment Trust Fund to the people comprehensive.

Below are steps you need:
1. The Lagos State Employment Trust Fund is an Act of the Lagos State House of Assembly
2. The Fund is administered by a Board of Directors headed by Mrs. Ifueko Omogui Ukauru other members include reputable entrepreneurs, businessmen, youth representatives, civil society organization, women representatives & two representatives of the Lagos State Government.
3. The Operational Guidelines for accessing the Fund has been worked out awaiting the approval of the Lagos State House of Assembly.
4. The loan will attract 3% rate.
5. LASRRA registration is a requirement.
6. Lagos State Government Tax Card is required.
7. Two Tax Paying Guarantors must be presented.
8. The earliest feasible probable date for disbursement is September.
9. Forming Cooperatives is one of the ways for accessing the Fund
10. N6. 25bn is up for disbursement in the first release.
However, as laudable as the good gesture of Governor Ambode appears, it is important to inform you that there are certain offences and penalties designed for beneficiaries that may default the stated rules and regulations of the Employment Trust Fund. They include:
1.  Any person who without lawful authority levies or accepts any contribution from any person, purporting such contributions to be made for the purpose of this law commits an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine of Five Hundred Thousand Naira (#500,000.00) or two (2) times the value of collections received which is greater, or to Imprisonment for two (2) years or both.
2.  Any person who makes a false statement or misrepresents the facts in order to gain momentary or any other form of benefits under this law commits an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine or two (2) times the value of the disbursed funds and forfeiture of fund property in his/her care and to any non-custodial sentence
3. Any person who misappropriates funds for purposes other than that for which it was disbursed commits an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine of two (2) times the value of the disbursed funds and to imprisonment for two (2) years.