For women in Ayedire and Olaoluwa Federal Constituency in Iwo, Osun State, it is the season of financial independence and empowerment as they got free training in diverse vocational trainings especially on every food chain in fisheries and fish processing.
They not only get vocational training to acquire skills in fisheries and other notable skills that can get them on the path of financial independence, they were also equipped with startup capital of 100,000 each and certification from professional bodies.
The training was put together by Honourable Lukman Mudasiru Kayode, the Deputy Chairman, House Committee on Human Rights for Women in his constituency, as parts of efforts to reduce the poverty index by ensuring that the poorest of the poor get a means of livelihood.
Since the 10th National Assembly was inaugurated in June, the lawmaker has reached out to hundreds of people in his community with various empowerment programmes. And while he paid special attention to women, there were also empowerment schemes for youths, in order to reduce deviance and rebellion within the society, based on his belief that when youths have a source of income, it is not poverty level and unemployment rate alone that will reduce but also crime rate.
Speaking on the schemes, the lawmaker, popularly called LSK by his people, said the schemes are just few of his plans for people in his constituency, adding that his vision is to ensure that unemployment and financial dependence is reduced to the barest minimum in Ayedire and Olaoluwa Federal constituency.
According to him, though the schemes are capital intensive, nothing is to much to give in order to serve the people that put their trust in him and sent him to represent their interest, adding that “it has always been my vision to ensure that people in my constituency are strengthened financially, irrespective of age, gender, religious affiliations or political beliefs. The schemes were not based on my whims; it was a result of in-depth consultations with the people on what they need and their expectations.”
The first batch of the training was basically for people interested in the field of aquaculture and all its chains, including feed formulation, production and development while the second batch were trained in fish processing and preservation and the third project he embarked on was the extension of electricity to Kuta community in Iwo Federal Constituency.
And his effort seems to already be paying off as the first set of beneficiaries in Ayiwola community have started engaging in the trade and marketing of their products.
The beneficiaries, while expressing their gratitude, expressed the belief that things are looking up in Iwo federal constituency as they now have a representative that did not waste time in fulfilling his promises.
“We have seen that it is true that to choose a representative, we must be conscious in choosing an individual that knows the yearnings and needs of his people; this is what we are experiencing now in Lukman Kayode Mudasiru. He is doing his best to meet our needs and he operates an open door policy that makes him approachable. It’s unfortunate that many lawmakers do not keep their promises like he is doing. We are indeed happy at his responsive and responsible representation in sharing the dividend of democracy,” they said.
READ ALSO FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
