Dayo Israel, the chairmanship candidate for Mainland Local Government yesterday, August 15, 2016, flagged a skills acquisition & mentoring programme for residents of his constituency. The training took place at Oyingbo in Ebutte Metta, Lagos. The three weeks empowerment programme, organised in partnership with Double Grace Development Initiative International, is targeted at school leavers, students, artisans and unemployed adults who intend to learn to be self dependent.

Participants will be taught skills in hair dressing, bead making, makeup artistry, interior decoration, computer training, digital marketing, event planning, leather works, fashion design, wire works, chemical works, fish and snail farming, , photography and video editing.

Speaking on the need for the vocational training, Mr. Israel said that he is not doing this as an electioneering tactics, but rather a continuation of an ongoing endeavour. "Organising training of this nature is what I do on a daily basis. I have people working with me daily to facilitate it but I thought of it that it's important to empower members of the society to enable us take some people off the streets", he said.

Commenting on the selection criteria for the trainees, Dayo said "the process was an open one for members of the public and not particularly those from Lagos Mainland Local Government. We allowed people pick forms to go for classes they are interested in. Some are still picking theirs presently and the aim is to train 10,000 for a three weeks period."

He believes that the training is key to the economic emancipation of the residents. "We don't intend to train and dump them. We will teach them branding and how to market their products. They will leave the training well equipped with the needed knowledge and skill to survive on their own".

According to Mrs. Josephine Owuye, the President of the Double Grace Development Initiative International, "anyone who takes part in the intensive training will be fully equipped and can make informed decisions on their own based on what they have learnt."

In addition, InsideMainland gathered that 10 students from the Lagos Mainland Local Government Area will be sponsored to the Red Hat Academy for a computer training worth $10,000 each by the Dayo Israel Foundation. "The students will be picked from the 9 wards in the Local Government", Dayo revealed.

The event had in attendance dignitaries such as the Former Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Mrs. Sarah Adebisi Sosan. Others who graced the event include Mr. Adedayo Adesanya, Mr. Olatoye Olagoke, Hon. Kunle Adebanjo, Ope Oretoye to mention but a few.

More at http://insidemainland.com/2016/08/16/chairmanship-candidate-mainland-lg-dayo-israel-trains-10000-residents/