By Mumini Abdulkareem
The lawmaker representing Ilorin East/South Federal Constituency, Hon Cook Abdulganiyu Olododo on Thursday in Ilorin distributed empowerment materials and cash to over 200 members of the constituency.
The programme, which was held at his constituency office, Fate area, Ilorin was also graced by the state Chairman of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Alhaji Bashiru Omolaja Bolarinwa among other party executives.
The beneficiaries of the programme cut across all the wards in the Ilorin and South and also include training of participants in areas of make-up, tailoring and catering services.
Speaking to journalists during the federal government sponsored programme but facilitated by Olododo, the lawmaker said such gesture has been a regular feature of his representation in all the positions he had held both elective and appointive, adding that more dividends of democracy will be brought to the people.
Giving breakdown of the beneficiaries, Olododo said fifty caterers, seventy fashion designers and another seventy five make-up artists respectively were trained to further empower them to become employers of labour rather than job seekers which also include N10,000.
โThis is not the first time I have been engage in act of this kind. I started it during my time as council chairman, Chief of Staff and as commissioner. You can only improve the welfare of the masses by skill acquisition and job creation and the only way that can be achieved is to create job opportunities for them. Moreso, not everybody can be civil servants and the job is not even there. But with skill, you can become anything you want to be.
โThis type of programme will encourage the beneficiaries to stand on their own and most of them that have been empowered are doing well. This is going to be a continuous exercise and another one will be coming next month. My advice to the beneficiaries is to make best use of the opportunity by also passing the training to othersโ, he noted.
In his remarks, the chairman of the party, Bashiru Omolaja Bolarinwa said the programme is a payback for Olododo, who is at the forefront of members who has stood and continue to identify with the party right from inception and as a worthy ambassador.
โIt is important that the electorates must always be considered from time to time by elected officials because there is always tomorrow and whether we like it or not, our four years mandate will soon run out and we will have to come back to them. Our elected representatives should always use any opportunity they have to carry programmes like this because gone are the days of white collar jobs. I commend Olododo and called on other elected representatives to emulate him. The beneficiaries should make the best used of it by making sure that what they have learnt are put to use and they used develop themselvesโ, Bolarinwa noted.
Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Hajia Taibat Suleiman thanked the lawmaker for deeming it fit to extend such gesture to them and promised that they will work and strive hard not to disappoint him.
