It is said that any society that neglects its youths neglects its future, that was the reason the Abia state government having realised the importance to empower its youths chose to improve on the youth empowerment scheme and give Abia youths genuine empowerment with a human face.

The last youth empowerment scheme embarked upon by the state government and held in Bende zone by the Abia state government left every Abian assured of Ochendo,s preparedness to develop, reposition and empower the future of Abia youths.
Out side giving out vehicles to over 200 youths from the bende zone which comprises Ohafia,Arochukwu, and Bende LGA.s the governor also gave out grants to the tune of two million naira each to some graduates who are trained in different professions but do not have the finance to go into their professional training fully and independently, also other youths who had some vocational training in so many other trades also received the grants that will enable them set up their own businesses and become employers of labour rather than looking for jobs in an already saturated labour market
This right move made in the right direction by the Ochendo administration is commendable and should be sustained and taken round other zones within the state, this program which is meant to reduce graduate/youth unemployment, if sustained will gradually extirpate unemployment and also create jobs in the state, the program if properly monitored will cause a turn around in the states economy by improving the internally generated revenue of the state and also reduce crime and criminality amongst the youths.

The recipients of this empowerment items should help the state government by putting either the vehicles that was given to them into good use so as to generate income rather than turning it into private vehicles and remain unemployed, those who received the grants should endeavour to invest properly in their areas of specialization so as to expand and create jobs.
The government on its own should endeavour to put check mechanisms in place that will ensure that those who received the grants used it for the purpose it was meant for by so doing the aim of empowering Abia youths will be achieved.

Uche Aguoru

Writes from Umuahia