In continuation of its state-wide empowerment of Abia youths, the Ochendo Youth Foundation (OYF), at the weekend, donated various items to youths in Osisioma Ngwa local government area to enable them engage in meaningful means of livelihood.
Founder of OYF, Chinedu Orji, said a number of youths were victims of self-inflicted joblessness because they refused to take up vocational skills as a veritable means of economic survival.
He told the youths and other stakeholders at Ngwa High School, Osisioma, venue of the empowerment ceremony, that the OYF was desirous of wiping out unemployment among Abia youths.
Orji urged the beneficiaries to utilise what ever they have been empowered.
“We are doing this because there are some youths who are here because they were unfortunate, they did not go to school, not because they were not interested but there was no body to train them,” he said.
Orji, who was earlier conferred with a chieftaincy title of Enyioha 1 of Osisioma, by traditional rulers council of Osisioma at the palace of its chairman, Eze Ikechi Chiavoghlefu, urged the beneficiaries to make maximum use of the opportunity offered by the empowerment scheme of OYF.
The items handed over to the beneficiaries include 11 assorted brands of vehicles, 28 tricycles, 39 sewing machines, 20 generating sets, 20 clippers, 20 hair dryers, six grinding machines, 10 vulcanizing machines, 100 pieces of wrapper as well as MTN notepads, tables and chairs.
Orji warned the beneficiaries against selling off the items given to them instead of wallowing in self-pity and complaining that times are hard when they should be making conscious efforts to break out of joblessness.
“Stop giving excuses that times are hard; it is not a good reason. We have to find a legal means of livelihood in helping ourselves, if you are lucky to be a beneficiary at the long run and you did not utilise it well, it then means that you are a failure.”
He advised the youths to be hard working and refrain from engaging in criminal activities so they could become useful to themselves and to the society.
Speaker, Abia State House of Assembly, Hon Ude Oko Chukwu, lauded Orji for his concern for the welfare of youths of Abia, noting that many in his position would ordinarily not bother about helping the youths since the tenure of his father and governor of Abia would end by 2015.
He said that the OYF founder was complementing the effort of his father, Governor Theodore Orji in laying a solid foundation for the state, pointing out that the governor has been empowering many youths and transforming the state.
The zonal youth leader of the PDP, South-east zone, Iboko Sylvester described Orji as a great asset to the party, pointing out that by embarking on youth empowerment scheme, the OYF founder was implementing the manifesto of the PDP.
culled from Thisday 24/12/12
- The Official Website of Abia State Government
