There had been a call on the five Governors in the South-East geo-political zone of Nigeria to work towards building functional institutions for total elimination of poverty,unemployment and unabated hardship which have been bedeviling people of the zone over the years.
The Ananbra State Director, National Orientation Agency(NOA),Barrister Charles Nwoji,made the call at the Second Edition of the Indication and Orientation Programme organized in Awka by the Mmaigbo Empowerment Foundation on Skills Acquisition and Exhibition for its new beneficiaries in the State and even beyond.
The NOA boss,Barrister Nwoji,who was represented at the event by the Deputy Director Programmes of the Agency in Awka,Sir,Joseph Uchendu, commended the uniqueness of the Igbo Culture and Tradition,adding that the Igbos have manifested their destiny like the Americans and elsewhere in the World, hence their ability and skills to deliver anywhere they found themselves.
Barrister Nwoji,who described Ndigbo as the true republicans with their wide spread across every length and breathe of the country in pursuit of their livelihood, maintained that the Igbos were also the fertile ground for the attainment of the Nigeria's greater future, calling on the electorate in the State,especially the youths to work towards obtaining and securing their Permanent Voters Cards ,describing them as the only weapons to eliminate the negative imparts of bad governance,poverty,unemployment and gross hardship in the country.
He urged the voters to come out enmasse on the election days to not only vote their conscience, but should vote correctly with a view to building the new Nigerian society of their choice ,reminding them that the elections will be digitized and only those recognized by the BVAS would be allowed to cast their voters at the polling units.
He called on the participants to shun all forms of social vices that would lead them to trouble before, during and after the elections with particular reference to drugs addiction, cultism,illegal migration in pursuance of getting rich quick among others.
While reminding the people that Ndigbo were lost out in the 2006 National Population Census, the NOA Director, also urged them to be aware and participate actively in the 2023 National Population and Housing Census with a view to correcting the mistakes of the past.
Presenting an address of welcome,the Director- General of the Non- Governmental Organization ,Mmaigbo Foundation, Mr Uzor Ekemezie,said that after the Induction and Orientation Ceremony that the beneficiaries of the event will be sent to where they will be trained followed by their empowerment by the Organization.
The Director - General, said that the beneficiaries were drawn from the all Igbo speaking States in the country including Abuja and Delta State, stressing that the program was aimed at bringing Ndigbo together and points out that the Foundation is committed to promoting and protecting the welfare of the Igbo youths .
He appealed on Government and affluent individuals in the State to work towards contributing their quotas in bettering the lots of an Igbo child,woman and the youths as God had blessed Ndigbo with handwork, skills, crafts and innovations to conquer the word.
For him,a former Deputy -Director ,Planning, Research and Strategy (NOA),Anambra State Directorate,Dr.Dennis Ekemezie,who spoke on Value Orientation,challenge the youths to resist all forms of temptation that would short change their chances of becoming responsible citizens of the country by applying the tenets of resilience in any endeavor they found themselves at all times for their self actualization.
In their separate lectures,the Director of Administration in the Ananmbra State Government House,Awka, Lady Patience Aniagor,the Financial Director of the Organization, Mrs.Egbabu Onyinyechukwu and Evagelist Chinelo Onunaru,under scored the importance of vocational education , prudent financial management ,planning savings , self training ,proper time management in self determination,advising the beneficiaries to say no to thuggery during the periods of the election in the State as well as the Census exercise slated to hold by April next year by the National Population Commission.