In a major push toward grassroots economic empowerment, the Executive Chairman of Epe Local Government, Princess Surah Olayemi Animashaun has launched the Renewed Hope Conditional Cash Transfer and Empowerment Programme, a transformative initiative aimed at alleviating poverty and supporting small-scale enterprises in the area.
The programme, unveiled on Tuesday at the Epe Local Government Secretariat, targets 100 beneficiaries, including artisans, traders, small business owners, and vulnerable residents, each receiving a ₦100,000 monthly grant over a 20-month period. The initiative is designed to stimulate local economic activity, promote household income stability, and empower residents toward self-sufficiency.
Beyond cash grants, the council also distributed vocational tools and livelihood equipment such as sewing machines, hair dryers, grinding machines, fishing nets, and safety jackets, a holistic empowerment approach that supports both capital and capacity building.
Speaking at the flag-off ceremony, Hon. Princess Surah Olayemi Animashaun reaffirmed her administration’s commitment to people-centered governance and inclusive development.
“This administration believes that true governance is not measured by the number of roads we construct alone, but by the number of lives we positively transform. Today’s empowerment is not just a handout; it is a hand up, a push toward self-dependence, dignity, and renewed hope,” she said.
The council boss explained that the empowerment scheme aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which emphasizes social safety nets and sustainable economic growth at the grassroots level.
The event drew a large turnout of beneficiaries, community leaders, and stakeholders who applauded the council’s consistency in delivering people-focused projects and sustaining community development programmes across Epe.
Observers described the initiative as one of the most extensive grassroots empowerment drives in recent times within Lagos East, noting that it has the potential to stimulate the local economy and reduce dependency through entrepreneurship and self-employment.
Once again, Princess Surah Olayemi Animashaun’s leadership has been lauded for its visionary, compassionate, and transformative impact, reinforcing Epe’s position as a model of effective local governance in Lagos State.