The Interview Editors
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos state has reiterated that his administration would remain steadfast in investing in capacity building and infrastructure development for Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs) to leverage on.
The Governor restated this at the 13th Edition Tradesmen & Artisan’s Day Celebration and Graduation at Ikeja, Lagos.
Sanwo-Olu, who was represented by his Deputy, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, said that no economy or society could do without the services rendered by artisans and tradesmen because of their direct impact on peoples day-to-day living comfort.
Recognising the role of artisans and tradesmen in the informal economy, the governor noted that his administration had been consistently developing innovative solutions that could address the challenges they faced and improve their productivity.
“We will continue to promote their decent means of livelihood and work conditions for all hardworking and resourceful artisans and tradesmen in the state.”
He explained that in order to enhance the growth of the sector and the prosperity of all stakeholders brought about the implementation of various programmes anchored by the Ministry of Wealth Creation and Employment in collaboration with other agencies.
Sanwo-Olu noted that his administration’s empowerment programmes were designed to adequately prepare artisans to think globally while providing local solutions.
“In many parts of the world, the informal sector which comprises of small-scale activities in traditional sectors of the economy, accounted for a greater percentage of new jobs created,” he said.
Speaking on the current hardship experienced across the country, the governor said he felt the people’s pain and was in solidarity with them.
He assured that everything within the limit of his power and ability to support the residents would be done.
Sanwo-Olu, therefore, appealed to the President and members of the Lagos State Council of Tradesmen and Artisans (LASCOTA) to vote en masse for his re-election as Governor and Sen. Bola Tinubu as President and all other All Progressive Congress (APC) candidates in the coming general election.
L-R: Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, amidst grandaunts at the 13th Edition of Tradesmen & Artisan’s Day Celebration and Graduation
Earlier, the Lagos State Commissioner for Wealth Creation and Employment, Mrs Yetunde Arobieke, spoke.
She stated that the artisan day celebration and graduation ceremony of 1,700 up-skilled tradesmen and artisans was to recognise and showcase the potential and contributions of the informal sector to the socio-economic development of the state.
According to the commissioner, the informal sector is the engine that drives the economy.
“It, therefore, becomes imperative for artisans to work towards the realisation of a common purpose which was creating 21st-century artisans.”
Arobieke noted that this would aid sustainable economic growth and development.
She tasked the tradesmen and artisans to make a success of their businesses and train others.
“By so doing, it will engender sustainable wealth creation and employment for youths and unemployed residents of the state.”
The commissioner noted that the graduating tradesmen and artisan had gone through intensive training for eight weeks, coupled with free modern equipment.
In his goodwill message, the LASCOTA President, Chief Nurudeen Buhari, said the execution of the THEMES agenda had helped to improve the lives of all Lagos residents.
He also added that the provision of good infrastructure in education, agriculture, health, transportation among others had given the artisans an enabling environment to practice their trade.
According to him, retraining skill acquisition programme, empowerment and provision of palliative to tradesmen and artisans had helped to cushion the adverse economic effects of cash crunch and fuel.
He, therefore, urged all the grandaunts to pass the knowledge acquired during the training to other members of their associations and make judicious use of the tools and equipment given to them.
(NAN)
