The Odinma Ikeduru Forum in Imo, a Non-Political Organisation, is to assist youths in the community to acquire skills and loans as well as grants of over N3 million.
Mr Davis Ihentuge, its President, made the promise on Wednesday during the opening ceremony of the forum’s Skills Acquisition Training and Empowerment Programme in Atta in Ikeduru Local Government Area of Imo.
He said the programme was to actualise the blueprint of a seminar held by the forum on “Household Quick-Yield Farming and Empowerment as a Sustainable Alternative to COVID-19 Palliatives”.
The seminar was held on July 16, 2020.
He said that the forum was collaborating with the 50-year-old Davis Comprehensive and Vocational Schools, Atta-Ikeduru, which has the necessary infrastructure and accreditation to sustain the project.
Ihentuge said the skills acquisition courses would be in agriculture, ICT, building construction and home management, adding that additional trades would be added as the need arises.
Mr Chris Akaraonye, the Chairman, Nigeria Union of Journalists, Imo Council, and Chairman of the occasion, commended the community for their efforts in empowering the youths.
He also commended Maj.-Gen. Collins Ihekaire (rtd), Chairman, Board of Trustees of “Paths to Follow”, a Non-Governmental Organisation, and Dr Goddy Edoziem, an educationist, for their financial support to the programme.
He called on other sons and daughters of Ikeduru to join hands with the forum to actualise its goals.
Maj.-Gen. Ihekaire (rtd) said the empowerment was to build capacity and empower the youths to give them some dignity and make them self-reliant.
He said that each of the 20 trainees would be empowered with between N100, 000 and N150, 000, depending on what they would engage on.
He advised the beneficiaries to take the programme seriously to encourage the sponsors.
Ihekaire said the gesture would bring the youths out of poverty.
Mr Jerry Opara, the Head of Organisation and Management of OIF Skills Acquisition Training for Empowerment, said the training was to improve the lives of Ikeduru youths and stop them from crimes.
He said all the trainees would undergo some mandatory basic courses such as business communication skill, record-keeping, law of contract, marketing and relevant safety rules.
One of the traditional rulers, Eze Anika, the Eze Umunawuike 11 of Atta Ancient Kingdom, said the project would help to check some crimes like advance fee fraud.
He called on other well-meaning citizens of Ikeduru to join hands to improve communities in the area.