By Michael Babatunde
Ekiti State Government would continue to come up with empowerment programmes that will promote the economic status and general well-being of People With Disabilities (PWDs) as well as formulate policies aimed at promoting, protecting and prioritizing their rights.
The Special Adviser to the Ekiti State Governor on Special Education and Social Inclusion, Princess Adetoun Agboola made this known in Ado Ekiti.
Speaking during the graduation ceremony and presentation of working tools worth N6 million to 30 trainees who graduated from the Ekiti State Skills Acquisition Centre for Persons With Disabilities, Ilokun, Ado-Ekiti, Princess Agboola said the Oyebanji Administration would continue to promote an inclusive society for persons with disabilities through advocacy, mainstreaming and constant engagement
The Special Adviser noted that government did not only train the 30 participants but had also purchased laptops and set of tailoring equipment for each participant of the training programme to start new businesses
She said Government would continue to take steps to prevent discrimination against persons with disabilities noting that disability should not be a reason to resort to begging adding that government had opened great opportunities for People With Disabilities to study at the 3 special schools free of charge or learn a trade at the skills acquisition centre to be useful for themselves and the community at large.
Agboola who announced that admissions for second set of trainees into various skills acquisition programmes had commenced at the centre called on the graduands to judiciously utilize the tools procured for them.
She also encouraged the graduands to take advantage of Government’s free Corporate Affairs Commission programme for Nano, Micro Small and Medium Enterprises an NMSMEs and Business owners to register their businesses at the State Ministry of Trade and Investments at no cost
In her goodwill Message at the event, the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Mrs Peju Babafemi
encouraged the graduands to continue to learn on the job to be able to stand out among their peers by multiplying the number of young entrepreneurs in Ekiti State.
She described Governor Oyebanji as a fearless, compassionate, and selfless leader who is empowering the graduands judiciously by providing PWDs with opportunities to fish and not to beg for fish.
Earlier in her welcome address, the Executive Secretary of the Office of the Disabilities Affairs, Mrs Funmilayo Fatoba while highlighting the project brief of the centre stated that the state Government’s policy was to facilitate Vocational aspirations of Person With Disabilities, reduce youth unemployment and stir up abilities of every person with disabilities in the state among others.
Fatoba stated that the training was designed to focus on fashion designing and Tailoring, Bag and shoe making, Catering and Hotel Management, Information, Communications and Technology (ICT) and Hair dressing and cosmetology.
Dignitaries at the occasion included the JONAPID, NABN, Albino and the Deaf Communities who were all full of commendation for the Government on the giant feat .
All the ICT participants went home with laptops as Tailoring Participants went with sewing Machine sets and Trade Test and Government Certificates as empowerment from the State Government.