STOP GIVING MOTORCYCLES AS EMPOWERMENT, OKOWA URGES POLITICIANS

The Executive Governor of Delta State, Senator Dr. Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa has advised leaders, particularly politicians in the State to give life transforming empowerment for long time benefit to youths to complement the efforts of the government.
Gov. Okowa gave the advice while speaking during the maiden edition of Ika Economic Summit organized by members of Ika Village Square at Agbor.
The Governor who stated that the leaders have an obligation of contributing to community development; explained that for them to continue in their old ways of youth empowerment, particularly through giving away of free motorcycles will not yield the desired result rather, empowerment can only be profitable and sustained when it is targeted at helping the beneficiary to become an entrepreneur.
He said the leaders while in an attempt to empower an individual can start by paying for his/her training fee to acquire a skill even in agriculture and also monitor the beneficiary’s progress on the skill.
His words, “Political leaders must begin to move away from the old ways of empowering our youths through the giving away of free motorcycles. Though the idea behind motorcycle empowerment may not be bad, but it is not good enough, perhaps not the way out to assist government to solve the issue of unemployment. Empowerment should be something of longtime benefits. The donor can spend money to train a youth in any skill acquisition programme which can be even in agriculture and also monitor him. By doing so, you are giving that youth a life-long support.”
Speaking in the same vein, Governor Okowa encouraged traditional rulers in Ika land to continue to look out for those persons in their kingdoms who are ready to invest in what the State Government is doing in order to build proper partnership for the good of the people. According to him, the need for all to pull resources together to encourage businesses in Ika land is very important as it will go a long way in contributing to the growth and progress of the land.
He averred that snail breeding is one profitable business people can also venture into, saying that the business has been a great blessing to the few who have ventured into it.
Speaking further, the governor made it known that he has been encouraged to go into farming by next year, as the need cannot be overemphasized. He explained that he was motivated in becoming a farmer by the Obi of Mbiri Kingdom, whom he said gave him over a hundred acres of land to farm. He promised to use the land judiciously and also engage youths of the kingdom during the cultivation of the land. However, he expressed gratitude to the monarch for the encouragement and also advised others to tow the path of the Obi of Mbiri.