60 youths receive training on non-oil export in Imo

 Victor Duruamaku Owerri

Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) has trained 60 Imo Youths  on the  non-oil export

Executive Director of the Council,  Mr Ezra Yakusak, who declared the training session open in Owerri, Thursday, described Nigerian youths as  economic treasure

Represented by the NEPC’s Trade Promotion Advisor in Imo, Mr Anthony Ajuruchi, the executive director said that there were 70 million Nigerians aged between 18 and 40 years, who could be engaged

According to him,”  there is  the need for the council  to harness the potential in the Nigerian  youth.”

Speaking on the theme, “Mainstreaming Youth Activities Into Non-oil Business”, Yakusak said that the workshop was organised to enlightenment the youths on the fundamentals of non-oil export trade.

According to him, non-oil export was a sure engine for Nigeria’s economic growth, considering the dwindling prices of crude oil products in the international market.

 ” Gathering you for this enlightenment cannot be at a better time than now, with the NEPC’s new mantra of ‘Export for Survival’ ; we must achieve youths inclusiveness in non-oil export for the nation to survive.

 ” It is my wish that this workshop as packaged, would motivate you to think about non-oil exports as a business option and the only way to survive since crude oil has failed to take us to the promise land “, he said.

 Speaking, the Imo Commissioner for Labour, Employment and productivity, Mr Ford Ozumba, thanked the NEPC for helping to diversify the state’s economy, boosting revenue and fighting unemployment, poverty and hunger.

Ozumba, represented by a senior staff of the Ministry, Mrs Olivia Umeh, said that the state government was committed to effective partnership with the NEPC for youth empowerment.

 ” The need for a swift transition to non-oil export cannot be overemphasized because the relationship between the global oil market and the Nigerian economy means that whenever the oil market sneezes, Nigeria catches cold.

 ” We therefore extend hands of fellowship to the NEPC, hopeful that with the youth-friendly initiatives of Gov. Hope Uzodimma, Imo will be on the path of sustainable economic growth and development “, he said.

 One of the participants, Miss Ezinne Nwakuba, a beneficiary of the Federal Government’s N-Power programme, thanked the NEPC for helping her export honey to the US and promised to help other youths achieve their dreams.

Also, Mr Daniel Chigozie, who exports food items to Zambia, urged his fellow youths to embrace non-oil export so as to enable the younger generation build a country which everyone would be proud of.