Anyalewechi Anthony,
Owerri
No fewer than 300 indigenes of Imo State have benefited from Senator Ezenwa Onyewuchi empowerment scheme.
The beneficiaries were trained in various skills and vocations. These include solar installation and maintenance, information and communication technology and new technology teaching techniques, as well as contemporary welding and wood work.
Besides the issuance of certificate of participation to the participants, they were also given start up kits.
The graduation ceremony which took place recently at Rock View Hotel, Owerri, Imo State attracted dignitaries from all walks of life.
The empowerment programme which was organised by Senator Ezenwa who represents Owerri senatorial district at the National Assembly was organized in conjunction with National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI).
Speaking at the event, Coordinating Director, Finance and Accounts of NASENI, Ibrahim Baba Dauda said the empowerment which aligned with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was aimed at encouraging youths to become independent entrepreneur, self-reliant and employers of labour.
He urged beneficiaries to properly utilise the state-of-the-art equipment given them to earn living, noting that it would help reduce unemployment which is the cause of criminalities faced by the society and warned they should avoid temptation to sell them.
According to him, Imo is not the only state to host such empowerment initiative, pointing out that Anambra, Oyo, Kano, Sokoto and Katsina states have benefited from the scheme.
Beneficiaries were drawn from Owerri senatorial district comprising Aboh Mbaise, Ahiazu Mbaise, Ezinihite Mbaise, Ngokpala, Ikeduru, Mbaitolu, Owerri West, Owerri Municipal and Owerri North Local Government Areas.
In the same vein, secondary schools teachers in the senatorial district were not left out as teaching aids and androids tablets were given to them.
Ezenwa in his remarks expressed hope that such gesture would go a long way to improve the standard of living of the. I assured them of more empowerment programmes that will touch everyone in this senatorial district.
He called on other politicians to do same to reduce high population of unemployed persons in the state.
Continuing, the legislator said: “I am doing all within my power to ensure my people are independent, self-reliant and it is a way of easing and ameliorating the poverty level among the people.
“I thank God beneficiaries took the programme very serious and we are waiting for results. We will not empower you and let you go. We will monitor your progress to know what you are doing and come in with more support where necessary.
“There will be subsequent empowerment and I want to assure you, if you show seriousness with what you are doing today, there is no paid worker that will compete with you. I am talking from experience. The way Renewed Hope Agenda government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is going, how many people can the public sector absorb? So the government is ensuring that people are given the requisite skills to be self-reliant. That way they can function on their own and be employers of labour”.
In a good will message, the Owerri zonal Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Justus Ogu, said he was at the occasion in solidarity with the good works Ezenwa is doing to encourage the people of Owerri senatorial district.
Ogu said the programme goes beyond party sentiment as he would not be there if it were issues of political party.
He commended Ezenwa for his courage and resilience in providing solutions to mitigate poverty among the constituents and charged beneficiaries to use the opportunity to give themselves, families and society a positive future.
