By Olawale Abdul-Fatah
In bid to boost Lagos economy to an enviable heights, the State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has disclosed that the state government would be empowering over 2000 residents who are into small scale trading, with grant such that can assist sustain and boost business effectively.
The governor’s gesture, said to be coming through a social welfare intervention program, is in line with the Sanwo-olu administration’s T.H.E.M.E.S agenda targeted to touch all sectors within the state.
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Civic Engagement, Princess Aderemi Adebowale, confirmed that the state government would be empowering 2000 small bsuiness owners and that the planned grant was part of the activities lined up for a civic week designed by her the Lagos State government through her office to engage residents, alongside Sanwo-Olu Cares initiative, a program to cater for downtrodden.
Through a statement issued from her office on Thursday, Adebowale stressed that the grant should be seen as a tool designed to path for citizens who have been able to contribute quota to the economic development of the state.
She said: “Beneficiaries of the social welfare inclusive initiative would be encouraged to invest 50% of the grant received in a small-scale business. The office of Civic Engagement has partnered with some companies to assist our citizens to actualize these goals by planning and monitoring the growth of their small-scale business.” Adebowale added.
According to her, the week-long programme championed by the Lagos State Office of Civic Engagement which is set to commence on Friday the 20th and end on Boxing Day, 26th December also has other activities lined up for the development of Lagos.
The Special Adviser hinted that aside from the empowerment initiative scheduled to hold at the Eko FM Marquee, Alausa, Ikeja, other activities that will inculcate social values in children and youth, serving as a guideline for achieving widespread civic engagement through planned programmes of action has been included in the event.
“We aim at building a people-centered Lagos by adopting a variety of engaging activities as a channel to inspire individuals to be active participants in the process of nation-building. Engaging citizens remains our ultimate goal. We can only improve Lagos through our collective effort.”
Besides, the Office of Civic engagement disclosed that the civic week would also feature social visitations to Churches, Mosques as well as senior citizens, and that relief materials would be distributed to needy.
Apart flag-off of week-long event which promises to be interactive, educative, and entertaining for participants, the office also indicated that the civic week would feature Music and Message Gathering’, and that the aim was to convey messages to youth and Lagosians in general.
