By Austin Ejimmadu
The Grand finale of Udodiri Ndom Owerri Nchi ise community Assembly, Home and Abroad August meeting has ended in a colourful style as they resolve to build a skill acquisition centre for youths in Owerri Municipal.
President General of Udodiri Ndom Owerri, Lady Chinyere Comfort Mere (JP) who stated this at the Association’s August meeting, to people who converged at the Ugwuekwema civic centre Egbu road, weekend, said the move by the women to build a skill acquisition centre is to ensure that youths in Owerri create job opportunities. She also stressed that the training will be free of charge.
Lady Mere expressed hope that the skill acquisition centre will serve as a measure towards checkmating some obnoxious practices among the youths especially their incessant intake of Indian hemp which she said has become their way of life. She urged them to desist from the act while enjoining them to live a good moral life. “Henceforth, people without job will not belong to age grade” she said.
The president also advised the women to always champion the cause of peace and ensure that their families have a foundation rooted in God as well as being submissive to their husbands.
She enumerated some of the projects procured by the Udodiri Ndom Owerri Women to include fifteen (15) plots of land at Umuapu for plantain and pineapple plantation, adding that arrangements have been also concluded to procure a plot of land at Nekede, Owerri.
Speaking at the event, the Chief Justice of Imo state, Justice Benjamin N. Njemanze who was the guest of honour, said that initiative will help to reduce massive unemployment rate among the youths in Owerri and commended the women for their determination to tackle joblessness.
He also made it clear that the state government has made arrangements to woo investors from outside the country to come and invest inOwerriMunicipality. The Chief Justice donated the sum of two hundred thousand (200, 000) naira to Udodiri Ndom Owerri as well as one hundred thousand (100, 000) naira to Amawom community and directed them to inform him whenever they decided to build their market.
In his speech, the Honourable member representing Owerri Municipal at the Imo state House of Assembly, Hon Victor Mere who was one of the awardees commended the women for their initiative, adding that the skill acquisition centre would go a long way to disengage the minds of youths from sharp and illegal practices like intake of Indian hemp, stealing and other social vices. He however, described their handiwork as a vital job which everyone should learn and use to fall back on. Hon. Mere also pledged to continue to support their policies and programmes as well as ensuring that their building projects for the skill acquisition centre is being completed. He promised to distribute free uniforms to the women, requesting that the list of some indigent women be forwarded to his office for immediate and prompt assistance.
Responding, the chairman of the occasion, Engr. Chidi Osuji, lauded the women for their resolve to ensure that the youths in Owerri end their rascal life style via the initiative while enjoining them to collaborate with their husbands in order to realize the project.
Answering questions from newsmen, Hon. Nze Joseph Amaechi, local government chairman aspirant, Owerri Municipal who represented the youths, expressed hope that the skill training would help to checkmate and reduce moral decadence, restiveness and other vices among the youths in Owerri, while urging them to take advantage of the initiative, saying that the incessant collection of money from traders at Ekeukwu Owerri market by youths of Owerri Municipality would seize following the introduction of the initiative.
The occasion was a galaxy of adorning colours as it witnessed dignitaries like the Chief Justice of Imo state, Justice Benjamin N. Njemanze, Chief Emma Odor, Executive Chairman, Owerri Municipal and Chief Emma Okere of the NTA who bagged certificate of merit award respectively for their humanitarian services to the people of Imo state. The event was witnessed from well meaning Owerri people from far and near.
