Akobundu empowers over 150 Abia youth with training in painting, cosmetology

Austin Akobundu, a senator representing Abia Central Senatorial district at the National Assembly, has handed over certificate’s and start-off cash in aid of over150 youth from his zone who he sponsored in a five-day empowerment training programme on paint making and cosmetology.

Akobundu, while speaking during the ceremony in Umuahia, said that for the Nigeria to join the league of advanced economies of the world, the youth must embrace skills that would make them move from job seekers to employers of labour.

He explained that today’s Nigeria required men and women who are not only properly skilled, but equally ready to use their skills to create wealth and employ others.

“Some of you are educated up to university level, that is fine; but the most important thing is for you to acquire a skill that would create jobs for you and by extension the country. That is the essence of this 5-day training/empowerment workshop,” he said.

The training/empowerment programme was sponsored by Akobundu in collaboration with the Centre for Management Development, Abuja.

It would be recalled that this is the 9th in the series of his empowerment /training since he assumed office as Senator of the Federal Republic in less than one year.

The senator stated that he sponsored the workshop because skill acquisition was actually one of the projects he had repeatedly emphasized on, adding that he wanted Abia Central youth and indeed all Abians to become self-reliant in all fields of human endeavours.

He recalled that during his campaign, he repeatedly said that he would go beyond offering the youth and women perishable items and gifts, but would train and empower them to stand on their own and even train and empower others, noting that this had become a pledge he has vigorously pursued.

Akobundu thanked the organisers of the programme, adding that it was in tandem with his campaign manifestos, which were to equip Abia youth in tune with 21st century skills targeted at boosting self-reliance and cushioning the impact of the harsh economy on them.

He tasked the participants not to abandon the skills they acquired at the training, assuring them of his readiness to assist those of them more that would make judicious use of the programme.

“It is my passion to ensure that the youth in Abia Central Senatorial district stand on their own as employers of labour rather than job seekers through various skill acquisition programmes. So far, I have sponsored nine empowerment/skill acquisition projects in less than one year as senator. Don’t forget that I was sworn in as Senator on November 15, 2023 after a rigorous court exercise,” he declared.

Stanley Nwabuisi, senior legislative aide to the senator, in his speech, revealed a plan to develop a programme to monitor the post training activities of the participants to ensure that they would not abandon what they had been taught.

Ndubuisi Ugwunma, one of the beneficiaries, in his vote of thanks on behalf of his colleagues, commended the senator for offering them the opportunity to be self-reliant and promised to take the empowerment as life-changing and also commercial venture.