From Squatters’ Haven: The Mushin Vocational Centre

For several years, illegal squatters converted the site on which the Mushin Skills Acquisition and Vocational Centre is built to their abode. They lived on the site as if they have acquired it with money.

When the Lagos State Government decided to establish the skills acquisition centre on the site, the squatters initially resisted the move, but today, the centre has been built and commissioned for the training of women and youths in various vocational areas.

“The centre presented a peculiar difficulty because of the illegal use to which the site was put by squatters.  This made clearing rather cumbersome and tedious as the squatters had to be relocated.

“This building complied with all safety standards as we were determined not to compromise quality and standard.  The building is fitted with fire fighting equipment and emergency exits while the safety of students, as prescribed by the law is also guaranteed as they are provided with safety equipment,” said Commissioner for Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, WAPA, Mrs. Joke Orelope-Adefulire.

The state government rolled out the drums last week to commission the centre meant to accommodate over 1,000 students at a time.  Thousands of Mushin residents were on ground to witness the commissioning of the centre.

According to the commissioner, the commissioning of the centre, brings to 17 skills acquisition and vocational centres which the government had established across the state where unemployed youths and women are being trained in areas such as welding, tile laying, aluminum fabrication, screen/transfer printing technology and shoemaking, among others.

According to Orelope-Adefulire, the ministry trained 60,000 women and youths  in various skills acquisition programmes last year alone, saying that the administration’s policy was to tackle poverty and empower women  at the grassroots.

According to her, the numerous skills acquisition programmes of the ministry had offered diverse opportunities to all classes of Lagosians to learn various vocations after which they were provided with the needed capital and conducive environment to start practising their trade.

Chairman, Mushin Local Government, Mr Babatunde Adepitan, said the construction of the Skills Acquisition Centre in Mushin at that particular spot was a miracle of the century which could be better compared to what happened in Oshodi.

Commissioning the centre, Governor Babatunde Fashola said that apart from the support which the state gave to the ordinary people, it had evolved a people-oriented policy of facilitating training for young people to acquire skills and granting them access to credit to start their own businesses.

He added that the government had also created a database for them to establish their location and for them to relate with themselves through the compilation and publication of the Lagos State Business Directory which is similar to “Yellow Pages.”

Fashola stressed that the decision to site skill acquisition centres in different parts of the state was part of the administration’s resolve to encourage young people to acquire vocational skills and create avenues to make money and sustain themselves.