Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State has flagged-off a 7-Days ENDSARS Youth Summit with an appeal on youths to shun criminal tendencies and acts of setting ablaze Police Stations under.
In a similar vein , Ebonyi State Government has earmarked the sum of N3 billion Naira for the empowerment of youths in vocational skills and trades.
Speaking while flagging -off the Summit on Wednesday at the Ecumenical Center Abakaliki the capital city, Umahi said that the expectations of government at the end of the summit was the purposeful and robust communique that articulates the position of Ebonyi youths in governance.
The Summit has as its theme, “Youths Engagement in National Development” drew participants across the 13 Local Government Areas of the State totaling 1,500 youths .
Umahi said that it has been his wish to organize a summit for youths were Resource Persons would mentor the youths on vital values and governance.
He expressed regrets that the genuine intentions of the ENDSARS organizers were hijacked by hoodlums however commended President Muhammadu Buhari for yielding to the demands of the protesters by pledging his hands of fellowship to youths.
” The government expect the summit to come up with thematic areas , the state government has initiated several empowerment programmers for youths, we intend to empower the youths where each beneficiary would get grants ranging from N500,000 to N1 million”
Umahi restated that the Governors of the south -east geo-political zones are not against any youth organization in the zone , youths must stop attacking police stations and destruction of critical infrastructure build by government.
Speaking against the backdrop of the Construction of the 195 Ring Road Projects that cuts across eight Local Governments in the State, Governor Umahi said that 35 km of the road has been done stating that by April 80 km of the road would commence.
In an address , the Chairman of the Organizing Committee who doubles as the Commissioner for inter-Governmental Affairs Pastor Eze Nwachuwu Eze, said that the aim of the summit was to assemble representatives of youths across the 13 Local Government Areas of the State to cross fertilize ideas on the way forward for purposeful governance in the country.
He hinted that participants cuts across Artisans, Religious and Institutional bodies, vocational trades among others.
“The Summit would at the end reason on what actually is the cause of ENDSARS saga, what the governments has in stock for the youths, come up with the position of Ebonyi Youths on integrating the youths in governance among others.
“At the end of the summit we select leaders that will feature both at the Zonal and National Youth Conference
Earlier in a lecture titled “Way to Success in Life” the General Overseer of Dominion City Worldwide Dr David Ogbueli, admonished youths to be good ambassadors of the country and desist from vices that would spell doom for them.
“The Federal Government should find the First Set of ENDSARS Youths and Honour them, they meant well for Nigeria”
Other Resource Persons who delivered lectures at the occasion included Dr Eugene Nweke (the Dean School of Post Graduate Studies Ebonyi State University), the Vice Chancellor Coal City University Professor Afam Icha Ituma and a renowned Actor Mr Zack Orji .
It is expected that a Communique would be issued at the end of the 7th Day Summit to articulate the position of the youths of Ebonyi State on Governance which would be presented at both the Zonal and National Youth Summit respectively.
The Summit had in attendance the immediate past Governor of Ebonyi State Chief Martin Elechi, the Methodist Bishop of Enugu Ecclesiastical Diocese Dr Edeh, the State Deputy Governor Kelechi Igwe, the Chairman of Christian Association of Nigeria Ebonyi State Chapter Reverend Father Abraham Nwali. members of the State Executive Council, the Clergy, Traditional Rulers and youth Organizations.
