In a bid to encourage Small Scale Enterprise, the Lagos State Government will now empower 23 SMEs in the ‘Ready Set Work’ (RSW) Project which came to an end this Saturday.
They include Eco-friendly Technology, Shella Ventures, Coif Beauty Salon, Sollite Energy and Power Limited, Mech Global Tech Solutions, Connect.com, Green Oil Enterprise, Borah Organic, Carpunch amongst others.
The entrepreneurs who are either sole proprietors or partnership and are final year students of six tertiary institutions in the State, demonstrated how they could turn their companies in form of business ideas to real income and employment generating ventures if Government would help with funds for start-up.
The demonstration was staged at a business pitch competition for that purpose at the Lagos State University, Ojo, to end 13-weeks training for the year with a team of panellists as judges to select those with viable plans for Government spionsorship.
The panels consists of the State’s commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources, Mr Wale Oluwa, Vice-Chancellor of LASU, Prof. Olanrewaju Fagbohun; Managing Director of Arms Limited, Mrs. Jumoke Ogundare; Permanent Secretary in the Office of Special Adviser to the Governor on Education, Dr. Shamsudeen Allison; Provost of Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education, Ijanikin, Dr. Ladele Aina and Mr. Aderemi Atanda from Systemspec
Explaining the criteria for selection, Mr Wale Oluwa, said the panel searched for the business ideas that are cost effective, realistic and profitable, employment generation and impactful to the society.
He however noted that other business ideas that are not selected will still be monitored for readjustment of plans for possible support in the future if necessary
He reassures that the RSW project of the State, is to develop knowledge, skills and attitudes of participants ahead of their graduation was really yielding good results.
“The programme as you are all aware,” he noted, “is meant for final year students of all the five Lagos State-owned tertiary institutions that include LASU, Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education, AOCOED, Ijanikin; Michael Otedola College of Primary Education, Epe, MOCPED and the Lagos College of Heath Technology, Yaba, and the University of Lagos owned by the Federal Government.”
The RSW project is an initiative of Lagos State to curb the scourge of unemployment and make candidates self-reliant
The project which started in 2016, hosted 500 students and graduated a total of 472 while placing another 197 students under internship in various corporate organization.
Students who are in their final year and the ones in penultimate from Lagos State University (LASU), Lagos State Polytechnic (LASPOTECH), Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education, College of Health Technology, Michael Otedola College of Education, University of Lagos (Unilag) are the legible candidates to participate.
Over 1500 students participated in the project which is free and voluntary.
