Obiorah Anthony
The five Governors of the South-East geo-political zone of Nigeria have been advised to work towards building functional institutions for the total elimination of poverty, unemployment and hardship that have bedeviled the people of the zone over the years.
Barrister Charles Nwoji, Anambra State Director of National Orientation Agency (NOA) made the call at the second edition of the induction and orientation programme organized in Awka by the Mmaigbo Empowerment Foundation on Skills Acquisition and Exhibition for its new beneficiaries in the State and beyond.
The NOA boss was represented at the event by the Deputy Director, Programmes of the Agency, Sir Joseph Uchendu.
He commended the uniqueness of the Igbo Culture and Tradition, and added that the Igbos have manifested their destiny like the Americans, everywhere in the World, hence their ability and skills to deliver anywhere they found themselves.
He described Ndigbo as the true republicans, especially with their wide spread across every length and breath of the country in pursuit of their livelihood.
“The Igbos were also the fertile ground for the attainment of the Nigeria’s greater future,” he intoned.
Nwoji through his deputy called on the electorates in the state, especially the youths to work towards obtaining and securing their Permanent Voters Cards (PVC) describing them as the only weapon 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 of building the new Nigerian society of their choice.
“The elections will be digitized and only those recognized by the BVAS would be allowed to cast their voters at the polling units,” he pointed.
He called on the participants to shun all forms of social vices that would lead them to trouble before, during and after the elections.
Uchendu made particular reference to drugs addiction, cultism, illegal migration in pursuance of getting rich quick among other vices.
While reminding the people that Ndigbo were lost out in the 2006 National Population Census, the NOA Director, also urged them to be awake and participate actively in the 2023 National Population and Housing Census with a view to correcting the mistakes of the past.
Mr Uzor Ekemezie, the Director-General of the Non- Governmental Organization, Mmaigbo Foundation, while presenting his welcome address said that after the induction and orientation ceremony, the beneficiaries will be sent to where they will be trained and empowered by the organization.
Ekemezie said that the beneficiaries were drawn from all the Igbo speaking states in the country including Abuja and Delta States, 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 to the government and affluent individuals in the state to work towards contributing their quota in bettering the lots of an Igbo child, woman and the youths because God has blessed Ndigbo with handwork, skills, crafts and innovations to conquer the word.
Also, a former Deputy-Director, Planning, Research and Strategy (NOA), Anambra State Directorate, Dr. Dennis Ekemezie, spoke on values orientation and challenged 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 Anambra State Government House, Awka, Lady Patience Aniagor, the Financial Director of the Organization, Mrs. Egbabu Onyinyechukwu and Evagelist Chinelo Onunaru, appraised the importance of vocational education, prudent financial management, planning, savings, self training, proper time management and self determination.
They advised 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 in April, 2023 by the National Population Commission.
