Committee Chairman Warns Students Against Wasting Govt Funds

Students of skill acquisition centres in Lagos state have been warned to guide against wastage of government funds in the course of their training.

The warning was given by the state House of Assembly Chairman on Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Omotayo Oduntan, when she visited some of the centres with her colleagues as part of the committee’s oversight function.

While addressing the students, she urged them not to “waste government money by not being serious with the skill you are learning.

“The government has invested a lot of money into enhancing the lives of the youth through free empowerment programmes like this one, which you may not find in other states.

“The only way you can prevent wastage is to make good use of these opportunities and be good ambassadors of the centres after your graduation.”

She explained to the students that the skill acquisition centres were established under the Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation as a means of reducing poverty in the state and to reduce the search for white collar jobs.

During the visit, it was discovered that some of the offered skills such as hairdressing, fashion designing, catering and hotel management and computer engineering had much concentration of students due to the high market demand.

Some of the areas where the visited centres are located include Egan, Egbeda, Iba, Ikorodu, Lagos Island, Ejigbo, Mushin and Surulere.

The report of the findings of the visitation will be submitted to the state House of Assembly in a bid to improve better services in the skill acquisition centres according to the Committee Chairman.

—Eromosele Ebhomele