Abia to sustain youth empowerment scheme

Abia State Government has pledged to sustain its youth empowerment programme, geared towards engaging youths and other unemployed people in the society in meaningful ventures. Governor Theodore Orji, who made this promise, while presenting 30 free cabs to thirty youths from Ikwuano Local Government Area of the State and a bus to the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Zone B, also assured of his administration’s commitment to create additional 5,000 functional jobs through the youth development centres. According to Orji, “Our major policy thrust is to empower the youths through the provision of sound education, and economic empowerment activities that cut across all sectors.” Therefore, the Youth Empowerment
Programme of the State has been a plat- form upon which many unemployed Abia Youths have been empowered to become self-reliant and managers of their own micro businesses. For the mere fact that no serious government is expected to stand and watch while its future generation wastes away, the State Government restrategised to create new avenues to keep the youths of the State gainfully engaged and this led to the establishment of the Abia Youth Empowerment Scheme. The Governor, while presenting the vehicles to the beneficiaries at the Ikwuano LGA headquarters, explained that the programme was the second in the area, as some people from the council have earlier benefitted from the programme.

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He stated that his administration wants the best for the people of the State and pointed out that apart from providing immediate employment for the youths, the vehicles would enhance their status and more importantly, enhance the free and easy movement of people within and outside the State. Governor Orji also pointed out that Abia State ranks high in youth empowerment in the federation. “However, apart from the free vehicles, our administration is training youths on various skill acquisition programmes across our skill acquisition centres in the State and liberation farms,” he said.

He assured that the youth empowerment programme will be sustained in the State, even after his exit as the Governor of the State. Austin Akobundu, national vice chair- man of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), south-east zone, earlier in his speech, noted that Governor Orji’s government has been in the vanguard of empowering youths, because of the importance he attaches to youths and pointed out that Abia ranks first in youth empowerment in the country.