About 70 youths drawn from different parts of Ikorodu local government in Lagos State yesterday benefitted from the Lagos State Government Centre for Rural Development (CERUD) Digital Skills training held at the Ikorodu Local Government Secretariat.
The training is coming on the heels of the global digital wave currently blowing across the Nations of the world. This is with a view to keeping Lagos youths; the leaders of tomorrow are kept abreast of this global surge.
In view of this, The Lagos State Centre for Rural Development hosted a Capacity Building/Empowerment Programme for youths, aimed at fostering their socio-economic welfare of the State.
The Y2025 Youth training and empowerment programme featured training on Digital Skills in Website/Blog Creation and Branding for Business Advertisement and Entrepreneurial Development.
In his keynote address at the event, Special Adviser to the Governor on Rural Development, Dr. Nurideen Yekini Agbaje, revealed that the research of the ministry had proven that businesses without proper branding were prone to their lowest return, due to their inability to maximise resources at their disposal, hence the need for the empowerment for youths, especially those who already own businesses. This, according to him was imperative in order to ensure their businesses survive as well as to enhance their growth.
Agbaje also noted that the administration of Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu was committed to the development of youths across the state, prompting his approval of the youth empowerment programme.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy affairs and Rural Development, Mrs Kikelomo Bolanrinwa, also hinted that the empowerment programme was prompted by findings made by the ministry, revealing that youths across the State desire knowledge in Website Creation and Branding but lacked access to the same.
‘From what we garnered, many of our youths are eager to learn modern digital skills but are unable to do so for many reasons, including funding. This empowerment programme is therefore meant to bridge the gap while also enhancing the economic capacity of participants’, she said.
Being the first of its kind from the ministry, the Permanent Secretary stressed that the impressive and encouraging outcome of this maiden edition would see the programme replicated at the other 4 divisions of the state, while maintaining the partnership between the ministry and the trainers.
The Permanent Secretary and the Special Adviser, admonished participants to be attentive and alert; making judicious use of the knowledge they have acquired.
They further encouraged the participating youths to reach out to the ministry, if at any point they were in need of the ministry’s help, an indication of its commitment towards the development of the youths.
They also commended the facilitator, Mr Eromona Michael for the good work he is doing, stating that they had no regrets partnering with him on the programme.
The 2-Part Empowerment Programme also saw participants presented with Certificates of Completion as well as the presentation of (10GB) worth of data to the top ten participants as an impetus to spur them to strive for success in their newly acquired skills.
