Ekiti empowers 100 PWDs with tools following vocational training

The Ekiti State Government has equipped another batch of 100 persons with disabilities with trade and work tools following their graduation from an intensive skills acquisition training programme.

Governor Biodun Oyebanji said his administration had improved the fortunes of PWDs in the state through inclusive governance and various programmes designed to give every citizen a sense of belonging, irrespective of their physical condition, background or social class.

Oyebanji, represented by the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Oyeniyi Adebayo, spoke in Ado Ekiti on Saturday during the graduation and empowerment ceremony, which was held at the premises of the Skills Acquisition Centre for PWDs in Ado Ekiti.

Under the programme organised by the Office of Disability Affairs in conjunction with the Office of the Special Adviser, Special Education and Social Inclusion, the beneficiaries were trained in various vocational skills, including Information and Communication Technology, tailoring, hairdressing, shoemaking, catering and hospitality, equipping them with practical knowledge and skills to become self-reliant and establish their own businesses.

They were, on the occasion, provided with the necessary machines, tools and equipment, including sewing machines, hairdressing and salon equipment, shoemaking machines and tools, ICT equipment, as well as catering and hospitality equipment to begin work in their various areas of training.

Oyebanji, who said the items were provided to give the beneficiaries the needed support to put their newly acquired skills into practice, noted that his administration had demonstrated its commitment to building a society where PWDs could access opportunities, acquire skills and contribute meaningfully to the development of the state.

The governor said the initiative underscored the administration’s commitment to inclusive governance, all-round development, economic empowerment and the creation of opportunities for every segment of the population, including PWDs.

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Oyebanji said, “By combining vocational training with the provision of startup equipment, the programme seeks to promote independence, encourage entrepreneurship and ensure that PWDs are active participants in the state’s economic and social development.”

He charged the graduands to make good use of the skills and equipment provided for them, urging them to remain focused, committed and determined to succeed.

Earlier, the Special Adviser on Special Education and Social Inclusion, Princess Adetoun Agboola, said the training and empowerment programme had recorded steady growth since its inception, noting that it started with 30 participants in 2023, increased to 40 in 2024 and 60 in 2025, while 100 PWDs graduated and received empowerment support in 2026.

She hinged the expansion of the programme on the Oyebanji administration’s commitment to creating opportunities for PWDs, stressing that “the steady growth was made possible because of the government’s belief that disability is not inability”.

Agboola said the 2026 class was particularly significant as “10 of the 100 beneficiaries are parents of children with severe disabilities. The parents, especially mothers, had for years been unable to pursue meaningful economic activities because of the round-the-clock care required by their children”.

She noted that the establishment of the EKSG Therapy Centre for Children with Disabilities had changed the situation by providing a safe and professional environment where the children could receive therapy and care.

She said the development had given their parents the opportunity to acquire skills, engage in economic activities and earn a livelihood while their children received the necessary support from the government.