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In a bid to alleviate poverty and promote self-reliance, about 1000 constituents have benefitted from the e-commerce and vocational training sponsored by the lawmaker representing Oyo South in the National Assembly, Sen. Sharafadeen Alli.
The two-day training programme, according to a statement made available to newsmen by the Senator’s Special Adviser on Media, Akeem Abas, held in Igboora and Ibadan respectively, with participants drawn from the 99 wards in the nine local governments that made up the senatorial district.
According to Alli, the programme was aimed at alleviating poverty and creating job opportunities, adding that it was a great economic tool to make constituents self-reliant.
He noted that after the election, he took the decision to give back to the society who voted him into office.
“We sincerely believe those who participated in the two trainings will be able to use it in their different trades. It will afford some to start a different trade on their own.
“About 1000 participants drawn from across the 99 wards were trained on e-commerce and the other two sets vocational trainings.
“It is spread across the 99 wards in the nine local governments that made up Oyo South Senatorial District.
“In the next one or two weeks, we are also going to distribute fertilizers to people of Ibarapa and the agrarian parts of Ido Local Government which is up to five wards making 35 wards,” he said.
Dr Chubby Egu, a Petroleum Chemist from Trato Nigeria Limited, said the training was facilitated to empower constituents and make them self-reliant.
“It will benefit so many of them because they would be able to start-up their business and generate income to take care of themselves
“They will acquire knowledge to do alot of things. It is a very good thing that our distinguished Senator Sharafadeen Alli actually brought this to his constituency,” he said.
Alhaji Mojeed Olaoya, the APC Senatorial Chairman for Oyo South, described the Senator as a man of his words, a doer and wonderful representative of the people.
He said it was exactly six months that the Senator assumed office and he had already done a lot including this training programme.
“I want to say that for the first time in the history of Oyo South, our Senator in less than a year, has done wonderful empowerment as well as distribute palliatives for the people of the constituency.
“I must confess to you that he is doing wonderfully well. We are proud of him in this constituency,” he said.
Shuaibu Sani, one of the beneficiaries, appreciated Senator Alli, describing it as a stepping stone towards poverty eradication in the district.
“I think this is a stepping stone towards eradicating poverty out of my life and the entire people participating.
“If we put this into use, we can forget anything about poverty and it will give us food, and everything on our table,” he said.
Another beneficiary, Mrs Bunmi Agbaje, thanked the Senator for his usual support to constituents and his commitment to implementing beneficial programmes and initiatives.
“It is very exciting. We give it to our amiable Senator Sharafadeen Alli for this programme and initiative given to us. We say a big thank you to him.
“He said it, he made it and will continue to be doing it. We all say a big thank you to him,” she said.
While participants on e-commerce went home with android phones, others in the vocational training section went home with equipment.
All participants will also receive start-up funds in their various registered bank accounts at the end of the training.
Recall that Senator Alli in the last six months has supported over 3000 widows, 3000 traders, sank boreholes, installed streetlights, repaired transformers, facilitated ICT centres for schools and supported many financially to mention a few.