LG Poll: ONNA Chairmanship Aspirant Pushes For Capacity Building, Enhanced Welfare For Youths

By Ifiok ITIABA - Uyo

Otuekong Iniabasi Ekanem, a Chairmanship aspirant for ONNA Local Government Area, on Tuesday said capacity building for youths in the area will top his agenda to enable them keep pace with global trends.

Ekanem said this when he consulted with youth leaders across the 42 villages in ONNA, ahead of the forthcoming local government elections.

Rolling out his plans for the youths, Ekanem said, improving the capacity of youths in various fields of discipline remained his priority.

"We will start building capacity by clan,villages and ward bases to help solve problems, my leadership will play its part in ensuring that our youths are constantly trained to meet up with global challenges,’’ Ekanem said.

While stressing that he will promote collective responsibility and accountability if elected, said that he will at all times interact with the youths and it's leaders at interval so as to identify their challenges.

"With the Ibom Deep Seaport project that is being promoted by Governor Udom Emmanuel, I'm sure the the youths of ONNA will be great partakers in different job opportunities, but first, we must train our youths to be able to fit into those opportunities.

I will at all times interact with the youths and their leaders at interval so as to identify their challenges and ensure we solve them."

Speaking during the consultation, Chairman Akwa Ibom State Youth Council, Barr Theodore Williams, said the youths of the area need capacity building to enable them fit into the global trends.

He lamented that the youths are lacking behind since they don't have somebody to send them for training.

"Our youths are ready to acquire new skills in various fields, but we don't have somebody to support us"

He suggested that funds should be set aside monthly for training of youths in the area from security votes.

"The council should always set aside funds from security votes every month for training of youths in various skills so that when it is time for employment they will have something to present".

Barr Williams who said the youths need a chairman that will be accessible advised the chairmanship hopeful to always make himself available when him assumed office as Chairman.

On his part, the Youth Council Chairman of ONNA, Mr Samuel Umofia, said that Iniabasi Ekanem would turnaround the fortune of the council area with innovative and ingenious socio-economic programmes.

According to him, Ekanem is a bridge-builder and committed to the visions and principles of industrialization of ONNA, stressing that he has been tested, proven, qualified and most suitable for the task of being the Chairman of ONNA.

He solicited for the establishment of fabrication yard in ONNA.

Other speakers who spoke during the meeting, described Ekanem as a peace-loving and transparent personality that would take the local government council to greater heights.

They promise to cue behind Otuekong Iniabasi Ekanem to succeed as the Chairman of ONNA.

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