By Okechukwu Okechukwu
Anambra State governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, Friday, said his administration has mapped out N2.5 billion for youth empowerment and other programmes geared towards improving the lives.
Soludo, who made the call at International Youth Day celebrated at Awka, the State capital with the theme, Solution for Digital Transformation, said his government was not relenting in creating relevant opportunities for youth emancipation through programmes and policies, including empowering employment.
He further charged the youth to rise to support the war to reclaim the State from gunmen and other criminals terrorizing the state.
The State has within five months Soludo took over as a governor, lost several persons and properties to kidnappers and other criminals, including a serving lawmaker, Hon. Okechukwu Okoye who was representing Aguata II Constituency where Soludo hails from.
According to him, the government could only succeed in decimating the hoodlums when the youth refrain form societal vices, develop their skills and talents, as well as form habits of revealing identities of the hoodlums to the security and government appropriately.
"Light have nothing in common with darkness. If you see something, say something. The future belonged to you, today is yours. We invite you because things have changed. It is time for everyone to contribute towards changing our society. You must take charge of your future.The hoodlums are organised to ruin your future. The youth must be organized to take back their future.
"Anambra State is a brand. Our brand is entrepreneurship. The core value of Igbo and Anambra State in particular is that you must work before you eat. The society died the day we stopped asking people how they made their wealth. We must go back to our core values. Stop celebrating those you don't know how they made their wealth," he noted.
Delivering a lecture, a former State Commissioner for Basic Education, Professor Kate Omenugha, advocated for human capital development, which according to her included education on history and philosophy of Igbo nation, and proverbs.
Earlier, the Anambra State Commissioner for Youth Development, Mr Patrick Agha-Mba, explained that the ministry has positioned itself to drive the policies and agenda of the incumbent administration, including pursuing the vision of a liveable and prosperous state through community based approach.
"The target of this administration is to create at least 130,000 private and sector jobs per annum and 1000 youth millionaires every year. The ministry of youth development has strategically positioned itself to drive the present Administration's policies and agenda.
" In line with our plans of pursuing the vision of a liveable and prosperous Anambra through community based approach to youth development, the ministry has created awareness on our strategic line of action of youth development. This we have done by bringing stakeholders in the communities together to be on the same page," he noted.