The Lagos Agripreneurship Programme (LAP) was former governor Babatunde Fashola’s initiative that began in 2010, with beneficiaries camped out at the Lagos State Agricultural Institute for a year.
No fewer than 170 beneficiaries of The Lagos Agripreneurship Programme (LAP) have lamented non-fulfillment of promises made to them by the state government.
The Lagos Agripreneurship Programme (LAP) was former governor Babatunde Fashola’s initiative that began in 2010, with beneficiaries camped out at the Lagos State Agricultural Institute for a year.
Many youths had been empowered through the programme, but it was suspended when former Governor Akinwunmi Ambode took office because it was not functioning properly.
Meanwhile, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu restored the project.
One of the beneficiaries, who simply identified himself as Tobi, said the government had yet to pay them all their entitlements despite their commitments and sacrifices to the programme.
He said, “This was what brought the 9th set in October 17th 2021. It was really a thing of joy as we thought our waiting days were over, over 170 youths and women were selected for my cohort; the beautiful part was that the Ministry of Agriculture had a partnership with Ministry of Wealth Creation under the programme (GIPP) Graduate Internship Placement Programme. This was to include every graduate in the LAP to get fixed with a stipend during their internship.
"We resumed campus, had orientation where we were told, we would be introduced to financial institutions to give loan after our internship, secondly, we would be paid N40,000 for 6 months to all graduates, we would go through EDI training to have access to loan which will be done by the ministry, we would be certified as students of the programme/institution.”
"Truly, we were camped for a month, fed, given training kits and N5000 as transport fare when we were about leaving the campus," he added.
It was further gathered that the government rather brought in another batch of beneficiaries without fulfilling its promises to the 2021 sets.
Tobi continued: "Painful part, we were left unattended to since 2021 till date, other cohorts have been brought in with the same treatment with us.
"Many of us left our jobs, many of us tried starting it but no funds, various letters, messages have been sent to officers in charge but all to no avail.
"We looked cheated, we need justice and all those promises should be fulfilled because the report given to Mr. Governor is that they are fulfilling everything as promised."