Ondo Artisans Urge FG to Include Them in Empowerment Programmes

Artisans and skilled workers in Ondo State have appealed to the Federal Government to include them in its empowerment programmes under President Bola Tinubu's Renewed Hope Agenda, saying more than 25,000 members of their group have been neglected.

The group, under the Artisan Defender and Empowerment Foundation, said its members need government support through skills training, vocational development, workshops, empowerment initiatives, stressing their contribution to employment, economic growth.

In a statement signed by its Chairman, Ogundipe James, General Secretary, Adebayo Olugbenga, the group urged relevant agencies, including the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, the Office of the Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, SMEDAN, Presidential Amnesty Programme, to consider its proposals.

The artisans warned that continued neglect could lead to disagreement, affect political support for the Tinubu administration ahead of the 2027 general elections. They also threatened to mobilise for a national protest if their demands are not addressed.

The group called for immediate attention to artisan welfare, skills upgrading, empowerment opportunities, saying stronger government support would improve the livelihoods of its members, strengthen their contribution to the national economy.