The Ayobo-Ipaja Local Council Development Area trained more than 4,000 women in different vocations in the last two years as part of its empowerment programme.

The council Chairman, Prince Bisi Yusuf, told the News Agency of Nigeria on Thursday that the initiative was aimed at empowering women in the community and make them self-reliant.

He said, “We have been able to train the women in hat making, bead making, soap making, fashion design and interior decoration.

“They have been well trained, and we also gave each of them some funds to enable them to set up their own businesses.”

Yusuf said the training, which was a continuous exercise, would help in alleviating poverty among the women and give them opportunities to contribute to the development of the society.

He also appealed to governments at all levels not to abandon widows and aged persons in their respective areas.

“We have been assisting these segments of Nigerians in various ways in my council.

“They are part and parcel of the society and we should not neglect them,‘‘ he added.