No fewer than 1,500 residents and small-scale entrepreneurs have benefited from an economic empowerment programme organised by Lagos Mainland Local Government.
The Chairman of the council, Dr Jubriel Emilagba, said this at the distribution of empowerment items in Lagos on Friday.
Emilagba said the initiative was designed to ease economic hardship, improve residents’ livelihoods, reduce poverty, create jobs and stimulate economic growth.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that beneficiaries included artisans, traders, persons with disabilities, vulnerable groups and youth organisations across the council’s eight wards.
The items distributed included 200 deep freezers, 200 sewing machines, 200 grinding machines, 250 gas cylinders, cartons of noodles and 300 bottles of water.
Other items included a make-up bed, an oven, two footwear sewing machines, a hair clipper and a power generator.
Emilagba said the programme also aimed to strengthen businesses and expand economic opportunities across the local government area.
He explained that the initiative was partly funded with resources made available through Federal Government interventions following the removal of fuel subsidy.
According to him, the resources had enabled the council to pursue development priorities and implement programmes that directly benefited communities.
“Today, we have gathered not merely to distribute resources, but to strengthen livelihoods, promote economic inclusion, restore hope and create sustainable opportunities for our people,” he said.
The chairman said his administration remained committed to translating its plans into tangible results through people-oriented initiatives and development projects.
“For this administration, empowerment is not simply an event on the calendar; it is a deliberate commitment to improving the economic wellbeing, dignity and quality of life of our residents,” he said.
Emilagba pledged that the council would sustain initiatives to strengthen local economic activities, improve public infrastructure and promote sustainable development.
He also urged residents to participate responsibly in the democratic process, describing the ballot as an important instrument for expressing their views and shaping the nation’s future.
Also speaking, the All Progressives Congress (APC) Women Leader in Lagos State, Mrs Abimbola Eletu, urged beneficiaries not to sell the empowerment items.
Eletu commended the chairman for supporting residents and small-scale entrepreneurs, urging beneficiaries to use the items productively to improve their livelihoods and reduce poverty.
The beneficiaries expressed gratitude to the council and pledged to use the items for their intended purposes.
One of the beneficiaries, a trader, Mrs Ajoke White, thanked the chairman for providing her with a grinding machine.
White urged other local government chairmen to emulate the initiative to support small businesses and improve residents’ economic wellbeing.
Discussion0