BY SUNDAY EGEDE
YOUTHS in Delta State have been urged to leverage on the entrepreneurial development initiative and the various empowerment programmes of the state government to extricate themselves from poverty.
High Chief Stanley Obodoagwu, who gave the advice recently in an interview with journalists at his residence in Okpanam Community, Oshimili North Local Government Area of the state, urged youths to acquire skills that will ultimately enhance their socio-economic status in the society.
He noted that the Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori administration was creating unique opportunities that would enable them realise their optimum potentials in life through its well-designed policies and programmes, adding that they should lash in on the opportunities to realise their dreams.
Chief Obodoagwu, who is the ‘Omere Oha I’ of Okpanam Kingdom, called on community leaders and parents to also counsel their children and wards to engage themselves in meaningful and profitable ventures, adding that, as parents, they should never get tired of counselling their children and wards.
“When youths are meaningfully engaged and earning legitimately, crime reduces drastically. Recently, after supporting widows during the festive season, I called on community leaders to bring youths forward for training. Unfortunately, the response has been low.
“Many youths in the contemporary Nigerian society, prefer quick money ventures that may not be sustain- able at the end of the day but we will keep trying to encourage them to do what is right. I personally will never get tired of counselling and assisting them,” he added.
Speaking further, the entrepreneur disclosed that his integrated farm and royal hotel, the first of its kind in West Africa, would be inaugurated in Okpanam before the end of this year, adding that the investments were part of his commitment towards the employment generation and wealth creation drive of the Oborevwori’s administration.
“We are proud to situate the facilities here in Delta because we believe our state deserves world-class investments. By the grace of God, within the next one year, I can confidently say that we would have created employment for over 2,000 Deltans. That is a major contribution to job creation and economic empowerment in our state,” Chief Obodoagwu stated.
