By Kingsley Chukwuka
No fewer than 150, Ogoni youths will soon depart Nigeria to Turkey for training and empowerment programme aimed at improving their living standard.
This success is powered by the Ogoni Liberation Initiative (OLI), in partnership with a Turkish based Non-governmental Organisation otherwise called the International Conference of Agriculture and Food (ICAF).
Speaking in a pre-departure briefing with the beneficiaries in Abuja at the weekend, President of the Ogoni Liberation Initiative, Dr. Fabeke Douglas, described the benefitting first batch as lucky, as they were the first to be deployed for educational and agricultural training in Turkey.
Fabeke advised the beneficiaries to be good ambassadors of Nigeria in their host countries by abiding by the laws and concentrating on their studies, warning that the OLI has zero tolerance for misconduct.
He noted that on completion of their training, the skills of the participants would be relevant in the operations of the new Hi-Tech Polytechnic ready to take off in Ogoni land soonest.
He recalled that the OLI over the years have trained thousands of youths Niger Delta youths in various skills acquisition programmes.
“Thousands of youths have been empowered by the OLI following their successes in their various training programmes, and were provided with business start-up packages,” he said.
Earlier, the Senior Adviser to the President of the International Conference of Agriculture and Food (ICAF), Turkey, Idil Saguner, said the ICAF is happy to train as many youths in Ogoni land as well as youths from the Niger Delta region, adding that the gesture will help to positively engage youths from the region and end youth restiveness.
According to her: “We have studied the Ogoni people with kin interest and it is time for us to contribute our own quota to the development of these youths in other to end youth unemployment in the region”, Saguner said.