In a bold and compassionate drive to alleviate poverty and build sustainable livelihoods, Hon. Aro Moshood Abiodun, the member representing Ikorodu Constituency II in the Lagos State House of Assembly, on Friday, June 27, 2025, flagged off an expansive empowerment program for over 300 residents of the constituency.
The initiative, under the AMA POS Empowerment Scheme, is the latest in a series of people-oriented projects powered by the AMA Smile Foundation.
Held at the prestigious Golden Event Centre in Oke-Eletu, Ijede, the event was attended by a diverse audience including traditional rulers, political stakeholders, community leaders, and hundreds of hopeful constituents.
The venue buzzed with enthusiasm and gratitude as Hon. Aro unveiled the details of a program carefully designed to convert economic hardship into opportunity by creating new entrepreneurs from within the community.
In his keynote remarks, Hon. Aro Moshood Abiodun explained that 180 unemployed individuals from across the three Local Council Development Areas (Ijede, Igbogbo-Baiyeku, and Imota) had been selected to receive a starter business package consisting of a fully activated Point-of-Sale (POS) machine, a registered business name through the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), and a ₦100,000 startup fund.
Each beneficiary would receive ₦50,000 preloaded on the machine and an additional ₦50,000 in cash to support operational needs.
The lawmaker emphasized that most of these recipients had no reliable source of income prior to the intervention, and by this initiative, they were being reintroduced to society as self-sufficient business owners.
Further expanding the impact of the program, an additional 150 small-scale POS operators and micro-entrepreneurs were each given a ₦100,000 grant to upgrade and expand their existing businesses.
Hon. Aro stressed that this dual-pronged approach—supporting both new and existing entrepreneurs—was intentional, as it not only uplifts the unemployed but also strengthens the economic viability of businesses already active within the constituency.
In his goodwill message, Dr. Nurudeen Yekinni Agbaje, the Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Rural Development, praised Hon. Aro Moshood Abiodun for his consistent and impactful service to the people.
He described the empowerment initiative as a commendable model for youth engagement and poverty eradication, noting that Hon. Aro had proven himself to be a “quality representative of Ikorodu Constituency II who understands the real needs of his people and responds with sustainable solutions.”
Dr. Agbaje lauded the lawmaker’s focus on economic self-reliance, describing it as a critical step toward inclusive rural development.
Several newly empowered beneficiaries, speaking with Ikorodu News Network (INN), expressed heartfelt gratitude and shared personal testimonies filled with emotion and appreciation.
Ruth Adeola, a resident of Ijede LCDA, shared how the program was a divine intervention in her life after months of financial struggle. He expressed gratitude for the opportunity to begin a new chapter as a small business owner.
From Igbogbo-Baiyeku LCDA, Bisola Saidat spoke passionately about her new journey into entrepreneurship.
She described Hon. Aro as “a God-sent leader who not only hears the cries of the people but acts swiftly and with compassion.”
For Bisola, the empowerment meant more than just a machine—it meant a new lease on life.
Aro Kehinde from Imota LCDA was another recipient who couldn’t hide his joy. He thanked Hon. Aro and the AMA Smile Foundation for what he called “a practical solution to unemployment.”
With his POS terminal in hand, he declared that he now had a business he could be proud of and build upon.
The event featured the presence of respected dignitaries, which gave further weight to the program’s significance.
These included Asiwaju Olorunfunmi Basorun, member of the Lagos Governance Advisory Council (GAC); Hon. Adefasin Hassan, former Lagos Assembly member; Hon. Prince Wasiu Agoro, Executive Chairman of Imota LCDA; Hon. Fatiu Salisu, former Chairman of Ijede LCDA; Hon. Femi Kabiru, Vice Chairman of Ijede LCDA; and prominent APC apex leaders like Chief Quadri Jamiu (Golden J), Alhaji Sefiudeen Ogunyemi (Lobito) of Igbogbo-Baiyeku LCDA, and Cornel BT Onofowokan of Imota LCDA.
Also in attendance were ward leaders, and party flagbearers, including Hon. Benson Sunday, Vice Chairman and APC Chairmanship candidate for Imota LCDA; Hon. Hammed Aroyewun, APC flagbearer for Igbogbo-Baiyeku LCDA; and Princess Abisoye Jimoh, Vice Chairmanship candidate for Imota LCDA.
Asiwaju Olorunfunmi Basorun praised the initiative, noting that through impactful programs like the AMA POS Empowerment Scheme, Hon. Aro Moshood Abiodun is not merely representing his people—he is reshaping the very meaning of leadership.
“At a time when many seek handouts, he has chosen to hand over tools—tools of progress, productivity, and pride. This is how you lay the foundation for a prosperous and self-reliant constituency,” he stated.
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