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Sanwo-olu inaugurates Youth Centre, Abesan
By Modupe Shodeinde
Governor Babajide Sanwo-olu on Friday, inaugurated the newly constructed and remodeled Abesan Youth Centre in Mosan Okunola Local Council Development in Alimosho area of Lagos State.
During the inauguration, the governor said the centre embodies his administration’s commitment to youth development and social development programmes.
He also disclosed that there was ongoing work in other parts of the start to replicate the youth centres.
“The youth centres in Badagry, Epe, Obalende/Ikoyi, Orile-Agege and Ibeju Lekki will also be inaugurated this year while work has already commenced on the Ikorodu and Surulere youth centres.
“A major thrust of this administration’s development agenda is the cultivation of a healthy youth population that is vibrant, self-reliant, entrepreneurial, industrious and gainfully employed.
“It is in line with this that the Lagos State Government conceived the idea of building modern youth centres with state-of the-art facilities across the state.
“With vocational training rooms for catering, tailoring, shoemaking and hairdressing, a football pitch, a basketball court, and an ICT room, we are poised to ensure that our youth have all they need to work in purpose and fulfill their God-ordained destiny.
“As a government, we will play our role in eradicating the menace of substance abuse, which is why this centre is also equipped with a counselling room,” he said.
Sanwo-olu also said youths would be mentored and have access to trained counselors and therapy to overcome mental and substance abuse issues.
He stated that the guiding philosophy of his administration is the believe that the foundation of a state is the education of its youths.
He also urged the youths to make use of the enabling environment and opportunity to train themselves and equip their future.
“They can begin to register at this youth centre for the vocational courses of their choice from the beginning of March.
“Enrolment is completely free, and we have designed this youth centre in such a way that it will be managed by respected members of the community, a representative of the youth and the Lagos State Ministry of Youth, Sports and Social Development.
“I assure you that every youth who enrolls here for training will be fully supported until they are able to stand on their own. We will provide startup assistance at the end of the training so they can hit the ground running as social entrepreneurs,” he said.
According to him, with the massive investment in the youth centres across the state, youths no longer have an excuse to fail.
He said that even those who were educationally disadvantaged could pick up a skill with which they would eventually become decently employed.
