Realising that it is only security agents that enjoy some measure of financial stability at the home front that can be motivated to do their job properly and secure lives and property, the Lagos State Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation (WAPA) has taken its skills acquisition empowerment programme to the barracks to make the wives of police and army officers self-reliant. OYEBOLA OWOLABI reports
Wives of police and army officers, about 500 of them, were among beneficiaries of the quarterly four-week short-term skills acquisition empowerment programme organised by the Lagos State Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation (WAPA). The training and graduation ceremony for soldiers’ wives held at the Ikeja Cantonment; while that of the police officers’ wives held at the POWA Hall on Oduduwa Street, Ikeja. The training was done in collaboration with the Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC).
Beneficiaries were trained in tie and dye, catering, fabric stoning and embellishment, hair and wig making, make-up and gele tying, as well as production of household products such as organic soap, stain remover, air freshener, and others. The Commissioner for Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Mrs. Cecelia Dada, said the gesture was to reiterate the fact that the state government is interested in the welfare of all residents, irrespective of tribe, religion or political inclination.
According to her, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has mandated the Ministry to ensure women get the best so they can also become contributors to the society’s socio-economic growth. She said: “We decided to empower the wives of police officers because this government is not biased. We have trained the wives of Army, Navy and Air Force officials before now. Wives of police officers are not left out because they are also women in Lagos State, and because our government is not a biased one; it is not just for politicians, but for all.
“An empowered woman is self-reliant; she is able to take care of her family; she is able to stand on her own; and she is able to fight for her rights. These women will be able to cater for their children, family, and they will improve the economic situation of the state as a whole.”
The Lagos Commissioner of Police, Abiodun Alabi, who was represented by Assistant Commissioner of Police (Administration) Mary Ayim, thanked the state government for the gesture. She described it as a ‘laudable one which will help to improve security architecture, since officers will be able to focus more on their work knowing their wives can take care of the home.’ She said: “The command is grateful to the WAPA for this support. This shows that the Lagos State government is interested in ensuring all-round comfort for the police community. The government is a father to all, and I can say it is not partial at all.
“This will, in no small ways, improve the morale of officers in performing their duties. The Commissioner of Police is also urging the women not to let the training die. You have gotten the training, and the government has gone as far as empowering you with some starter packs; don’t let it die with you, but go and build on the skills so you can help your husbands. You have been given tools and now your destiny is in your hands. You have been given a tool to dig; so I want you to dig forward and get the gold that is ahead of you.
“This training is not just to empower the women, but also to secure the future of their children. You have also helped their husbands because they will perform their duties better knowing they have support at home. On behalf of the Commissioner of Police, I say thank you for this, and I assure you that the women will run with this and be better wives. It is also said that to which much is given, much is expected. So if they have given us all these, we should give back by ensuring that Lagos is safe, and we will do our best.”
The wife of the Police Commissioner, Mrs. Oluwatosin Alabi, also thanked the government for the programme. She particularly admonished the women to run with the idea to make life worth living for themselves and their families. “I want to talk to my women this morning; you’ve come, you’ve learned and you’ve conquered. Please, make use of this and take it as something very important. Whatever you are given today, please make sure you make use of it because it’s for your own benefit. Like I’ve always told you, when opportunities like this come, please grab them and make good use of it, especially to help yourselves and your husband. God help us all,” she said.
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The women coordinator of PCRC, Mrs. Helen Animashaun, who facilitated the training, said she was dissatisfied with the state of most of the women, especially the widows. So she approached the WAPA Ministry to help. She added: “I didn’t like that most of these women were idle. So I wrote to the Ministry and they responded well. Today, I am happy that the government has helped women who were once idle.”
The elated beneficiaries were also full of praises for the government, and promised to make good use of everything they have learnt. A member of PCRC, Mrs. Comfort Lawal, said: “I didn’t know the government was doing something of this nature, talk more to this extent. I salute Governor Sanwo-Olu for coming to the people’s aid in times like this. I was in the household product class and I have learnt to make 23 different household products. Though we came to coordinate the police wives, but I have gained more than enough.”
Mrs. Eunice Adikwu, who learnt hair and wig making, described the training as ‘amazing and one which will lift women out of poverty.’ “I was sitting at home and taking care of my kids, but with this training, I will support my family. Even before I graduated, I’ve made wigs and sold to my people,” she said.
The training was also taken to the Omajuwa Community in Agboyi-Ketu Local Council Development Area of the state, where members of the Catholic Women Organisation (CWO) of the Catholic Church of the Resurrection, Magodo Estate, Shangisha, and some others, were beneficiaries. 250 women were trained in the centre. Mrs. Dada said the gesture was because the government is intent and deliberate about touching the life of every woman living in the state.
“Seeing the joy of women the government empowers, especially when you give them a source of livelihood, gives me joy. The government is not biased; we try as much as we can to touch every woman who lives in Lagos, irrespective of ethnic, religious or, political affiliation. If you need any of our interventions, we make sure we bring it to wherever you are. We have done so much as a ministry, but it’s still not enough. There are still lots of women out there; so my admonition to women in Lagos State who are yet to take this opportunity is for them to know that the train is moving. The earlier they jump on it, the better for them,” she said.
The parish administrator, Fr. Paul Bastus, thanked the government for the gesture, and admonished the women to repay the goodwill by not just helping themselves, but others as well. He specifically begged them not to sell the starter packs given to them, but become great ambassadors of the state by working to show themselves approved.
The President of CWO, Tonia Ozoede, who described the initiative as ‘a wonderful gesture’, said: “I am overjoyed simply because we have had this dream of empowering our women but financial constraints have been holding us back. But when this opportunity came, we jumped at it and we are better for it.
Lagos State has also gone a step ahead to give them working tools so they don’t have to struggle with starting after the training. I thank the government so much for this initiative and I am also appealing to them to do more by ensuring that it goes round.
“I am also promising to follow the beneficiaries, chase them to ensure they do well by what they gave been given, especially those who are within my reach. They must get it done, because Lagos said zero tolerance to idleness; so they have to work.”