ASABA – Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta on Monday said his administration would partner with traditional rulers in the state to create jobs for the teeming unemployed youths.
Okowa, represented by his deputy, Mr Kingsley Otuaro, said this at a meeting organised by the Government Job Creation Committee in Asaba.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the forum was organised to sensitise the traditional rulers on their roles in the exercise.
The governor said that modalities were already put in place to ensure that the entire process of engaging beneficiaries on the programmes was secured and not hijacked by anyone.
The governor said that because the programmes were targeted at the youths in the state, the traditional rulers were in the best position to certify that beneficiaries were truly from their domain.
He thanked the traditional rulers for responding to the invitation and urged them to further sensitise their subjects on the need to key into the various government programmes in order to become self employed.
Okowa also called on the youths to seize the opportunity to improve the quality of their lives.
According to him, the first phase of the youth’s empowerment has commenced and no fewer than 1,270 youths will benefit.
“We have promised Deltans that we are determined and poised to deliver prosperity to all.
“These promises are encapsulated in our SMART agenda and one component part of the agenda is that we will create wealth and provide job opportunities for all Deltans particularly to our teaming unemployed youths.
“The place of the traditional institution cannot be overemphasised.
‘We feel very strongly that we need to partner with our traditional institution to help us drive this process because they know the unemployed in their domain,” he said.
The governor said that those who would be engaged in the various empowerment programmes would be empowered with starter packs after their training.
Mr Kingsley Emu, Chairman of the Job Creation Committee, who did a presentation during the session, said that no fewer than 1000 youths, 40 from each of the 25 local government areas would be trained on vocational skills acquisition.
He said that another 270 youths would be trained in its agricultural programmes, adding that the projected number of direct jobs to be created in the first phase of the programme would be over 4,877.
Emu, a former Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, assured that all the pitfalls, especially in the agricultural programmes, had been taken into consideration to ensure that the programme succeeds.
He said that emphasis on the empowerment programmes would be 20 per cent theory and 80 per cent practical to enable the participants gain adequate knowledge to become an entrepreneur.
He said that the forms for the training were open and available and had been distributed to the traditional rulers and also placed on the internet.
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According to him, the application forms are ready and can be accessed online “but the process is such that all the forms must be returned through the traditional rulers representing each of the 25 LGAs.
“The scheme will create jobs and wealth, diversify the economy, engage youths in productive enterprise and nurture entrepreneurs and leaders.
“It will also promote communal peace and security, develop database of the employed and unemployed youths for planning purposes.”
The traditional rulers expressed satisfaction with the new concept of getting them involved in project and thanked the governor for the initiative.
They pledged their support for the programmes and for the government. (NAN)
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