Ayobo Ipaja Local Council Development Area (LCDA) empowered 1000 traders, artisans and other residents with N100 million on Monday.

Beneficiaries were given N100,000 cash grants each to support their businesses.

Speaking at the empowerment programme held at the council secretariat, the LCDA chairman, Ladi Oluwaloni, said his administration was committed to fostering economic prosperity and uplifting lives in the council area.

“Today, we take a historic step by empowering over 1,000 hardworking entrepreneurs across our wards with non-repayable grants to strengthen and expand their businesses. These grants are more than financial support; they are a testament to our belief in your ingenuity, resilience, and determination.

“They are seeds of opportunity, planted to cultivate a harvest of sustainable livelihoods, job creation, and community progress,” he said.

He said the beneficiaries included tradesmen and artisans, members of transport unions, community development association (CDA) officials and others.

The chairman said the empowerment was informed by the council’s belief that small and medium-scale enterprises are the soul of any thriving economy and community.

“This is not just a programme; it is a movement to transform lives and rewrite the economic story of Ayobo-Ipaja,” the chairman said.

Speaking, a traditional ruler, Ahmed Orelope-Laka, Elegbeda of Egbeda, thanked the council boss for his development initiatives.

Wole Aina, the All Progressives Congress (APC) party chairman in the LCDA, also commended the council chairman for impacting lives in the area.

Taibat Awosika, one of the beneficiaries, thanked the council chairman, saying the money would go a long way in growing her trade.

(NAN)