The Anambra State government has inaugurated a new phase of Youths and Women Empowerment Process, starting with the agrarian local government areas of Anambra East and West.
The programme, sponsored by the office of the Special Adviser to Anambra State Governor on Youth Mobilisation in collaboration with the wife of the governor, is aimed at creating peaceful and economically growing communities through meaningful engagement of youths in activities that would take their attention away from restiveness and crime as well as the women being able to support their families economically.
Addressing the people at the occasion, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Youth Mobilisation, Chinedu Obidigwe, said that more gainful measures would be channeled into youth activities in the state especially on Agriculture and Education.
He doused fears over the incessant attacks in the area from Kogi State and said that he had been in contact with their leadership to halt further attacks.
The inauguration ceremony witnessed a large crowd from the communities in Anambra East and Anambra West that flooded the Ugwu Na Adagbe Primary School field, Aguleri, to be part of the empowerment programme was a reflection of the peoples’ desire to have gainful employment.
Traditional rulers, the clergy, leadership of the ruling party in the state and government functionaries were also present at the occasion.
The empowerment was for the Youths and the Women that occupy over 60 per cent of the population of the two local government areas.
A football competition with One million naira trophy was instituted to be keenly contested for among the youths of the 25 electoral wards in the two Local Government Areas.
Jerseys and footballs were also distributed to the women. Thirty ladies motorcycles were distributed for a start as more motorcycles and other empowerment equipment would also be given out in no distant time.
All Progressives Grand Alliance National Chairman who chaired the occasion inaugurated the programme and handed some of the items to the beneficiaries.
The impact the motorcycles would have on the women was also mentioned to include improving their welfare and their health.
In his address to the people to sum up the day’s activity, the Special Adviser to the State Governor on Youths Mobilisation said many plans were on for the youths of the state in the areas of agriculture and education.
He, however, said the process that had commenced would support the women as they would have succor in their day to day economic activities while it would go a long way in establishing peace and unity among youths which was a primary target of the empowerment.
He assured the indigenes that talks on the incessant attacks from the neighboring Kogi State which usually brought restiveness among youths had already been on and was yielding positive results.
It was a new dawn for the youths and women of Anambra East and Anambra West and hopes were high that the gesture which has commenced would get to every local government area of the state.