The Lagos State Government has appointed Mrs. Ifueko Omoigui-Okauru the Chairman of the Employment Trust Fund (ETF).

Her appointment, Wednesday, comes a day after the State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, signed the ETF Bill into Law.

A statement issued by the State’s Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Steve Ayorinde, said that the ETF, which is one of the campaign promises of the governor, has been established to create wealth by supporting individuals, especially the youth, small and medium entrepreneurs with access to soft funding and enterprise support centres.

Lagos State is committing N6.25b annually which will amount to the N25 billion Governor Ambode promised in four years.

Omoigui, a celebrated Chartered Accountant, was the Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) from 2004 to 2012.

She started her career at Andersen Consulting, now Accenture, and has been at various times on the Boards of Nigerian Breweries PLC, Central Securities Clearing System, Diamond Bank Plc and Seplat Petroleum Plc.

According to Ayorinde, she will be joined on the board by Mr. Dele Martins, CEO, HFP Engineering Plc. Martins is a lawyer and real estate expert who has overseen the growth of HFP to a major player in the Nigerian real estate and construction industry.

Other members of the board include Mrs. Bilkis Adebiyi-Abiola, a social entrepreneur who has grown a successful business outfit of recycling waste plastic bottles; Mr. Otto Orondaam, the founder of Slum2School, a volunteer-driven organisation that has provided access to education and psycho-social support for disadvantaged children in slums and remote communities.

The Trustees also include the Commissioners for Employment and Wealth Creation as well as Finance, Mr. Tunde Durosinmi-Etti and Dr. Mustapha Akinkunmi respectively; while Mr. Michael Popoola Ajayi from the Civil Society sector is also a member. Others include Mr. Tunde Bank-Anthony and Mrs. Olufunmi Olatunde Daudu.

Mr. Akintunde Oyebode who was the Head, SME Banking at Stanbic IBTC, with over 10 years experience in banking, will serve as the Executive Secretary of the Fund.

•Photo shows Omoigui-Okauru.

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