by Daniel Essiet,
Lagos Government is driving a new scheme on entrepreneurship and skill training for persons with disabilities. It plans to expose their talents and provide a market for their products. Daniel Essiet examines the implications for welfare.
In the last five years, there has been an international campaign dedicated to promoting entrepreneurship among persons with disabilities and taking them off the streets.
The campaign has led to a series of training on entrepreneurial skills and national legislations.
In Lagos, people with disabilities that have started their own businesses.
Speaking at the graduation of 1000 persons with disabilities trained in entrepreneurship, the Lagos Commissioner for Wealth Creation and Employment, Mrs. Yetunde Arobieke, said the government established the special entrepreneurial and skill development scheme to provide opportunities for them to pursue viable vocations.
Represented by the Permanent Secretary, Mr. Olujimi Ige, the commissioner said the government was working with the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund to get disabled entrepreneurs business loans.
Her words: “In further demonstration of our noble intent, Lagos State Government established and provided funding for the Employment Trust Fund with the cardinal mandate to support the goals of small businesses and to create job opportunities. These included but not limited to providing loans to genuine and credible people with disabilities.”
She noted that it was difficult for persons with disabilities to become self employed or take up entrepreneurship for survival, without any adequate skills, knowledge and financial inclusion.
Mrs. Arobieke said the government was ready to address lack of financial inclusion, support and acknowledgment from the entrepreneurial ecosystem which have been major challenges for persons with disabilities.
She said the government had provided startup tool kits for entrepreneurs with disabilities through the ministry. According to her the intention of the ministry to give persons with disabilities more respect through tools that give them better lives.
She reiterated that the government was creating a state where entrepreneurship is accessible for everyone.
She noted that the government wants to change the narrative where people with special needs were portrayed as good for street begging, helpless or unresourceful.
She congratulated the graduands for the successful completion of the four- week intensive training programme.
According to her, the training which covered trades such as hair dressing, graphics, barbing among others take place in Alimosho, Ikorodu and Amuwo Odofin.
