The Ikeja Local Government Council has rolled out fresh education and employment support for 450 young residents, with Chairman Akeem Olalekan Dauda presenting 210 free GCE forms and providing 240 temporary holiday jobs to school leavers, students and undergraduates to ease the educational and financial pressures on families in the council area.
The initiatives were unveiled on Wednesday at the Marriage Registry Hall, Ikeja Local Government, amid excitement among beneficiaries, parents, guardians, government officials and other stakeholders.
The second edition of the council’s two-month Temporary Holiday Job Programme will provide each of the 240 beneficiaries with a N40,000 stipend, while allowing them to work within their respective wards and communities.
Speaking at the event, the Executive Chairman of Ikeja Local Government, Comrade Akeem Olalekan Dauda (AKOD), said the initiatives were part of his administration’s deliberate efforts to ease the burden on residents and create opportunities for young people to improve their future.
Dauda described the programmes as an investment in the future of Ikeja, stressing that no young person should be denied educational opportunities because of financial constraints.
“Your dreams are valid. Your future matters. And Ikeja Local Government believes in you,” the chairman told the beneficiaries.
He urged recipients of the free GCE forms to take their studies seriously and strive for excellent results, while charging participants in the holiday job programme to demonstrate discipline, commitment and dedication.
“For those receiving the GCE forms, I expect excellent results from you. For those participating in the holiday job programme, I expect discipline, commitment and dedication,” he said.
Explaining the structure of the holiday employment scheme, Dauda said the beneficiaries would work within their respective wards and communities, where supervisors would assign responsibilities to them.
He said beneficiaries residing around the local government headquarters would be deployed to government offices, where they would gain practical exposure to local government administration and understand how public institutions operate.
According to him, the arrangement was deliberately designed to reduce transportation costs for the beneficiaries and ensure that the temporary employment did not create an additional financial burden for them or their families.
The chairman said the programme was designed not merely to provide temporary financial support but also to expose young people to practical work experience and help them develop valuable life and employability skills.
He said participants would have the opportunity to develop discipline, punctuality, teamwork, responsibility, creativity and a strong work ethic, while gaining an appreciation of the dignity of labour.
Dauda said the initiative aligned with his administration’s I.K.E.J.A Agenda, particularly the pillars of Knowledge-Based Economic Empowerment and Joyful Social Welfare.
He also appealed to parents and guardians to continue supporting their children, noting that while government could provide opportunities, the home remained the first institution for building character and values.
The chairman expressed confidence that some of the beneficiaries would eventually become professionals, entrepreneurs, public servants and leaders who would contribute significantly to the development of Ikeja and Nigeria.
Responding on behalf of the GCE beneficiaries, Oyinlola Elijah expressed appreciation to the council chairman for providing free examination forms to indigent students, describing the initiative as a significant opportunity for young people to pursue their educational aspirations.
Similarly, Adewale Adesanya, a beneficiary of the two-month Temporary Holiday Job Programme, commended Dauda for the initiative, saying it would help reduce the financial burden on parents and guardians during the holiday period.
Adesanya noted that beyond the temporary financial benefit, the programme would expose participants to valuable workplace experience and skills that could prepare them for future opportunities.
The council said the twin initiatives underscored the administration’s commitment to youth development, educational support and economic empowerment while creating practical opportunities for young residents to build a stronger future.
