Youth Empowerment: Okowa urges Politicians to adopt Skill Acquisition, Kicks against Motorcycles Empowerment

Delta State Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa has frowned at politicians who empower their constituents with Motorcycles and other equipment as empowerment programmes stating that constituents should be provided with entrepreneurial skills that will make them to be self-reliant.

The Governor made the call at the maiden economic summit of the people of Aniocha/Oshimili Federal Constituency tagged, ‘Njiko Aniocha Oshimili Economic Summit’ held in Asaba on Friday, May 26, 2017.

Governor Okowa urged political office holders and philanthropists should go beyond purchase of “motorcycles” for people but, should train such persons to acquire relevant skills that will make them to be entrepreneurs.

“I am pleading that our politicians train the people to acquire skills and mentor them than just giving out motorcyles and other equipments as empowerment programmes; if the people are well trained and they work hard on their own, they can be job creators.”

The Governor who used his administration’s various entrepreneurial skill training programmes to empower Delta youths stated that “We have had a lot of success stories with our skill acquisition programmes and beyond what the government is doing, individuals, corporate organisations should find a way of assisting the people to acquire skills; we have provided a window for people to come from the private sector and bring youths for us to train and they will empower such persons while we mentor them.”

The Governor who lauded the organisation of economic summits for people to look at how to grow their economies at their ethnic nationality levels, urged Deltans, who are doing well in their chosen fields of life to come back home and be involved in the development of their communities.

He specifically, urged the people of Aniocha/Oshimili to look at ways to cultivate rice, as the area has a rice belt capable of feeding the state and beyond, disclosing that the Federal Government was on the verge of placing a ban on the importation of rice and Deltans should be actively involved in agriculture which is one of the greatest employers of labour.

The Governor assured the people of his administration’s commitment to the development of the state, adding that his administration was partnering with the private sector to provide low-cost housing for Deltans, road construction, ICT development, industrial parks, construction of the Asaba Stadium, among others.