Digital skills have the capacity to keep young people busy, reduce crime while providing them with an opportunity to earn a decent living, the lawmaker representing Awka South 1 Constituency in Anambra State House of Assembly, Mr Henry Mbachu, has said.
Mbachu stated this at the weekend while providing free Wi-fi to his constituency in collaborate with Airtel Nigeria.
Mbachu shortly after the inauguration of the Anambra State House of Assembly in June, took up a part-time appointment with the state's ministry of education to teach physics at Igwebuike Grammar School, Awka.
Addressing the beneficiaries, represented by their village heads in Awka and Okpuno as well as the representatives of Nnamdi Azikiwe University and Paul University in his constituency in Awka, the Anambra State capital, Mbachu said modern world belonged to the internet.
He said the Wi-Fi project was part of the revolutions he would bring in the area to make a difference.
Decrying the growing incidents of crime in the area, the lawmaker said with youth engagement in the internet for
electronic business(e-business) and sundry useful digital activities, crime rates would reduce.
He noted that the welfare of the people, particularly that of the youth and the widows should not be a sole responsibility of government, stating the need for partnership with the private sectors to provide services for the people.
He said he had bankrolled Wi-fi services for the people of Awka and Okpuno for a period of one year for a start, subject to renewal.
He said specifically, the free Wi-fi would be installed at Unizik and Paul University communities,10 Secondary Schools and the 44 village squares in the constituency.
The Lawmaker assured the people area of more human development projects and good governance, describing the two elements as the hallmark of his political party- the Labour Party(LP), while appealing to the beneficiaries to make good use of the Wi-fi.
In his speech, the Airtel representative on the occasion, Mr Jerry Ani, while urging the youth to do genuine businesses with the Wi-fi, announced that Airtel would launch its 5-G network in Awka next month to boost services.
Dr Nelson Omenugha, a special adviser to the state governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo, on youth matters, in his speech, said Mbachu's initiative.was in line with Soludo's agenda of making Anambra a digital state.
Expressing appreciation on behalf of the beneficiaries,Chairman of Umunamoke village Awka, Innocent Anagor,urged the lawmaker to keep doing the good work, quipping,"You started with a good plan and the good plan will lead you to a good goal- you will be reelected."