23rd April, 2012
Lagos State Government has begun the re-training of 780 artisans and tradesmen in modern skills and technology.
The exercise began at the weekend in various areas in Lagos, southwest Nigeria. The training costs the government N19 million.
Special Adviser to Governor on Commerce and Industry, Mr. Seye Oladejo, at the weekend said the 780 artisans are the first set of the retraining exercise.
He said the artisans were drawn from nine different trades under the state Tradesmen and Artisans Capacity Building Scheme.
Oladejo said the areas to be covered in the first batch were garment making, hairdressing, automotive technology, bricklaying and tiling and block moulding.
Others, he said, included vulcanizer, furniture making, interior decoration and baking and pastries.
The special adviser stated that the programme was born out of the determination of the government to address the myriad of problems facing artisans in their trades.
“Some of these problems are obsolesce of skills, poor attitude, poor entrepreneurial skill, lack of decent work spaces and access to credit facilities, among others.
“The programme has three components, each designed to address the identified problems. The components are Lagos State Tradesmen and Artisans Capacity Building Scheme; Lagos State Tradesmen and Artisans Equipment Acquisition Scheme; and Lagos State Tradesmen and Artisans Insurance Welfare Scheme.”
The special adviser added that the training would be conducted in partnership with the Lagos State Technical and Vocational Education Board, LASTVEB, saying that the capacity building would be carried out in Ado-Soba, Ikorodu; Ikotun, Agility and Odo-Mola.
He said the syllabus of the training would cover Trade Theory and Practice; Entrepreneurship, Functional Communication in English Language; Information and Computer Technology; Right Business Attitude; and Safety Health.
Oladejo urged the artisans to use the opportunity of the training to develop themselves and broaden their knowledge and skills in their various vocations, bearing in mind the huge public funds expended on the scheme.
Executive Secretary, LASTVEB, Olawunmi Gasper, said the programme was basically about re-skilling and upgrading of artisans.
—Kazeem Ugbodaga