By Tunji Adedeji
A Member of the House of Representative representing Aboh-Mbaise/Ngor-Okpala Federal Constituency Hon. Bede Eke, on Saturday rounded up a Capacity Development Training Workshop Programme on Solar PV System Installation for hundreds of his constituent who are mostly students of Federal University of Technology Owerri, FUTO Imo State.
Resource persons from the Federal University of Owerri, FUTO Consult LTD headed by the Managing Director (MD)Dr. Mrs .Uchenna Dike offered the training, while Hon. Bede Eke sponsored the event.
It was a two-day capacity development training involving theory and practical lessons, held at the school premises within FUTO Consult LTD block.
Engr .Dr. Jude Obichere , who represented FUTO Vice Chancellor, commended the federal lawmaker for his gesture, saying we appreciate him and enjoin other lawmakers to emulate him. He explained the benefit of the workshop to the beneficiaries, He said: “the program was organized to enlighten the youths on how to make money through installation of solar PV system. This scheme would make them resourceful and make money for themselves and their families, and they would be supportive of their people.
Some beneficiaries of the programme poured encomiums on the sponsor, Hon Bede Eke, and FUTO Consult .They described the lawmaker as a caring and performing representative of his people.
Kingsley Ejimaga an undergraduate from Aboh-Mbaise , one of the council area in Hon. Ekes constituency, said: “Armed with this training, I can be self-employed. I can start up the business on my own. I appreciate Hon. Eke for his brotherly role. We pray God to bless him mightily.”
Miss Joy Opara a final year student, said: “The empowerment will reduce unemployment in our community and this is very heart-warming. I pray that the good Lord will bless Hon. Eke.”
Another excited beneficiary, Mr. Goodwill Iroegbu observed that the empowerment programme would reduce subtle and overt prostitution by girls and other social vises in the area. He said: “We really appreciate the organizers of the programme, as they have been wonderful. We also commend our honourable lawmaker, Hon. Eke , who had sponsored the programme.
We have been taught so many things on Solar installation today, which are very marketable. They have also promised to establish the business for us so we can simply be self-employed with this.
“We advise other politicians and our representatives to emulate Hon. Bede Eke by reaching out to others at the grassroots. There is widespread poverty in the local communities in which many of the electorate live. They should reach out to us by sponsoring programmes of empowerment,” she said.
Hon Bede Eke, who was represented at the occasion by Hon. Okereke Irechukwu, SA political & Constituency Liaison said the training was a fulfillment of the lawmaker’s campaign premises to his constituent, noting that it’s not only aimed at empowering the selected youths in the two local government areas on the need to be self-reliant but also to support them with the needed resources that would help them to establish their business.
Hon. Irechukwu pointed out that Bede Eke, who represents Aboh-Mbaise /Ngor-Okpala Federal Constituency, in the House of Representatives, has empowered many people since he became a member of the National Assembly even as he has embarked on many physical projects in the constituency.
He said, “This scheme is both theoretical and practical, so they would be able to start this as a business on their own. The trainees were also issued certificates of participation with which they could start practicing or get employed.”
