The Delta State Governor, Sen. Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa has called on ethnic youths leaders across the state to emulate the visionary leadership of the President, Isoko National Youths Assembly (INYA) and his executives in ensuring that Isoko youths are trained in entrepreneurial equipped to be employers of labour.
Governor Okowa who was represented by the Commissioner for Youths Development, Comrade Ifeanyi Egwuyenga, stated this in one day empowerment programme and foundation laying of INYA national secretariat at Ozoro the headquarters of Isoko North local government council.
He said that, Youths empowerment goes in two ways which according to him are; “investment and establishment ” and the only way youths can decide their future is when they are economically independent through investment or establishment and that, the only way to achieve this is to create an enabling environment which His Excellency, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa has done by creating Technical Vocational Educational centres across the state.
According to him: “I must commend the Ovie Umuakpo administration for having the right mindset by training and empowering Isoko Youths to be economically independent. As you are being empowered today, what you all need to do now is to start having the right mindset towards whatever you are doing and re-orientate yourselves and your minds.
In his speech, the chairman of the occasion Hon Jude Ogbimi charge Isoko Youths to brace up to challenges ahead of them and be united in order to move forward and shun the pull him down syndrome which has affected the growth and development of Isoko nation.
He also warned Isoko Youths to avoid being used to sow seeds of discord among the Isoko youth body, urging the youths to ensure that they work to be skillful in their various field of endeavors in order for them to be employers of labour as well as earn a living for themselves through the tools they are being empowered with.
Also speaking, the State Chief Job Creation officer, Prof Eric Eboh, commended Comrade Umuakpo Ovie and his executives over the empowerment programme and the Youth secretariat foundation laying ceremony, noting that, “What Ovie and his executives has done today is in line with the youths Job Creation agenda of the State Governor.”
He assured INYA that, the Job Creation officer will take statistics of those empowered in order for the office to consolidate on it to ensure that those empowered are well establish to be employers of labour.
On his part, INYA President, Comrade Umuakpo Ovie in his speech, said that, the empowerment programme is being funded through the social security funds being received by INYA from DESOPADEC.
In his words; ” When I met with His Excellency sometimes last year, I shared my vision of this empowerment programme with him and he key into it by directing that parts of the social security funds being accrue to Isoko Youths should be use for the training and this empowerment programme
“To all the beneficiaries, this is not a political empowerment. I am passionately appealing to you all to utilize this golden opportunity given to you and ensure that you make the best out of it.” Comrade Umuakpo said.
He also added that, the idea of the secretariat was born out of his desire to unite the Youths of Isoko nation and also to give the youths body a sense of belonging, noting that any organization without a secretariat is never recognized in the society.
Comrade Ovie however called on all Isoko Youths to ensure that they work towards the success of the secretariat, adding that, “the building if completed never belongs to me but the youths of Isoko nation. We all must work to ensure that it is being completed within a period of 10months.”
Earlier on, the Director General of INYA Capacity Building and Empowerment, Comrade Isaiah Ogunye stated that, forty-five youths will be empowered on Fashion and Designing, ICT, Hair Dressing, Weldering and fabrication, Electrical and Plaster of Paris (POP). While twenty-five undergraduate will be empowered with 20,000 each to aid their studies.
