. . Set to Build Mini Stadium in 172 Communities
By Abuchi Onwumelu and Mercy Hill
The Executive Governor of Anambra State, Chief Willie Obiano has said that his administration has empowered youths in the state. He stated this last Tuesday during the International Youth Day Celebration held at Dr. Alex Ekwueme Square, Awka.
He also disclosed that his administration had empowered the youths in agriculture with seed money and had also trained about 2000 through the state’s one Youth One Skill Programme.
Gov. Obiano, while addressing the youths, inaugurated the triple – I (Inventor, Investor, Initiative) designed to identify creative and innovative ideas, train and empower them with smart jobs.
The governor stated that his administration had concluded plans to build mini stadiums in all the 172 communities in the state and had set aside, five million Naira per community for the mini stadiums.
Obiano said he came to celebrate the youths of Anambra State for their resilience, exceptional entrepreneurial spirit, famous innovative spark and enviable creativity.
He described Anambra youths as the hope of the state, reeling out policies and programmes under his administration that had further advanced the cause of the youths in the state.
He announced that about fifty two percent of appointees in his administration were youths.
The International Youth Day celebration was an annual event set aside by the United Nations in the year 2000 to celebrate all young persons in the world.
Earlier in his address, the Honourable Commissioner for Youth Entrepreneurship and Creative Economy, Hon. Afam Mbanefo, observed that through the state’s Youth in Agriculture Project, about 33000 youths had been trained in the agricultural value chain and empowered with other programmes of the Ministry.
Hon. Mbanefo used the opportunity to appreciate Gov. Obiano for all his support to the Anambra youths.
For his part, the state Chairman of the National Youth Council of Nigeria who spoke on behalf of other youth bodies in the state, Comr. Samuel Egwuatu, appreciated the Governor for integrating the youths into the mainstream of governance in his administration.
He pointed out that the Anambra State Government was the best youth friendly administration in Nigeria and had through in several ways empowered the youths of the state.
Highlights of the occasion included the decoration of Gov. Willie Obiano as the grand patron of the Anambra State Youth Council, presentation of laptops and other gifts by the Governor to deserving youth corps members who have distinguished themselves during their service year in the state.
