Ebonyi: 500 youths receive N2m each, as Gov Nwifuru flags off skill acquisition scheme

 

 

BY CLEMENT NNACHI (ABAKALIKI)

 

Governor Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi State, has flagged-off the First Batch of the State Government Skill Acquisition Programme, with 500 youths benefiting with  N2 million each.

 

Speaking while flagging off the programme at the Centenary City Government House Abakaliki, Governor Nwifuru maintained that enhancing ones skill was a sine qua non for attainment of success in life.

 

According to him, “youths must make themselves available for skill acquisition, growing the youths and impacting them with skills will enhance development”

 

“Youths must come and learn great things, learn skills for those that don’t have skills”

 

He restated that the skill acquisition training, will last as long as the trainees learn the skills and perfect in the various trades.

 

“They are sections where the trainees will learn the skill, we are giving them the skill they feel they can learn, every skill they indicated we have provision for them”

 

Earlier in a speech, the State Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Mr Oguzor Offia Nwali, said that the selection process started when he visited major cities in the country and profiled unemployed Ebonyi youths in those towns.

 

“The aim is to target 1,500 persons, we want to take it in batches, each beneficiary will receive N2 million each”

 

“We are taking the first batch of 500 for N1 billion today, the beneficiaries will receive Alert today”

 

The Commissioner reiterated that the beneficiaries were genuine  hawkers selected for the skill acquisition training programme.

 

“They are real hawkers, there was no interference from anybody, the list were generated directly from the areas we visited”

 

In a remark, the State Commissioner for Trade and Investment Chief Elechi N Elechi, said the ceremony was a determination of the administration to liberate sons and daughters of the State hustling in major streets of Lagos, Abuja, Onitsha, Aba and Port Harcourt.

 

“With this programme, our young men and women hawking the streets of these cities, shall be pulled out to become self reliant, as they shall be trained in various lines of businesses.

 

“It is in line with the vision and mission of the present administration which is anchored on the People Charter of Needs”

 

Highlights of the occassion was the disbursement of Cheques of N2 million to each of  the beneficiaries.

 

Beneficiaries of the scheme included Abraham Eze, Oko Ifeanyi Chukwu, Egwu Michael Osulor, Joseph Ominyi /m, and Dike Anthony.

 

In an interview, the beneficiaries commended Governor Nwifuru, for the benevolence and assured that they will make appropriate use of the money..

 

The event had in attendance members of the State Executive Council, the Chairman of All Progressive Congress (APC) in Ebonyi State Chief Stanley Emegha, Speaker of State House of Assembly Hon Ije Odunwa and Traditional Rulers .

 

Others include beneficiaries of the scheme, the Chairman South-East Traditional Rulers Council Eze Charles Nkpuma, members of the State House of Assembly, Founding Father’s and members of the State Elders Council among others.