Lagos, Unity Dolls Sign MoU on Youth Empowerment

Eromosele Abiodun

Manufacturers of Unity Girl dolls, Auldon Nigeria Limited, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Lagos State Technical and Vocational Education Board (LASTVEB).

Unity Girl dolls, are Nigeria’s first theme dolls, which uniquely project the continent’s cultural heritage.

The partnership is intended to empower graduate apprentices of the board with sustainable source of livelihood immediately after graduation, by making them gainfully engaged.

Also the initiative, under the Graduate Apprenticeship Programme in dress making, the graduates have been hired to make 40,000 pieces of unity doll dresses for the entire project in batches of 5,000.

Under the contract, which is supposed to be executed within four months, 40 per cent mobilisation fee, has been released at each while 60 per cent cost of the project will be paid upon completion of each batch of 5000 cloths.

While speaking about the MoU, Executive Secretary of the board, Mr. Olawunmi Jasper, called on other corporations and multi-nationals to emulate Unity Dolls by using direct skilled labour, in order to grow the local economy.

Jasper noted that the only way out of the nation’s economic quagmire is for government to, not only create the ideal environment for artisans in the real sector to thrive, but also for manufacturers to employ indigenous skilled labour.

Jasper pointed out that expatriates in the engineering, construction, home services sector, are carting away all the opportunities at the detriment of Nigerian artisans.

He, however, thanked the Chief Executive Officer of Auldon Nigeria Limited, Paul Orajiaka, for the confidence reposed in the nation’s real sector, particularly for believing in the graduates churned out by the institution, and contracting a project of that magnitude to them.

He assured the company that the graduate apprentices will do an excellent work with the dress making contract comparable to any standard in the world.

Orajiaka agreed with the LASTVEB boss, that the continued patronage of local products skill and service is the way to go in strengthening the nation’s economy and currency. He also assured the institution that the contract will not be a one off and would be continuously renewed, especially as unity dolls is a product in high demand, both locally and internationally.

He expressed joy that the contract will have a positive multiplier effect on the local economy as other locally manufactured products will be purchased for the project, a cycle that will support many families, by putting food on their tables.