By CHARLES IWUOHA

Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi, has flagged off a week-long #ENDSARS Youth Summit in Abakaliki, the state capital.

Flagging off the Summit at the Christian Ecumenical Center, Umahi said he was encouraged to spearhead the youth engagement to tap their youthful ideas in the governance of the state.

His words: “It has always been my wish to organize this kind of Summit for the Youth. Mr.

President has extended hands of fellowship to the youth in this programme. We want to know how you want us to govern you, we want to know how to prepare the future for you”.

The Governor appealed to the youth to take the summit seriously to make input in the business of governance in the country.

“The Southeast Governors’ Forum is not against any youth organizations. We are not against you, we want to work with you but look at what happened during the #ENDSARS protest, you burnt down police stations and critical infrastructure, what shall it profit you, if you don’t make your morning to be worthwhile, you can be sure that your evening will be problematic”.

The Governor, who said that 80 percent of youths are appointed into his administration, also noted that it was a mark of deep commitment to the welfare of youths in the state.

“80% of my appointee are all youths. 99% of the jobs in this State are done by our people, there is no capital flight and so the money resides in the State, Ebonyi State has been turned into a construction site,” he said.

He announced the plan by his administration to empower the youth within the range of five hundred thousand to one million naira as part of the 3 billion naira already set aside under the#ENDSARS Empowerment scheme.

The Governor also announced arrangements to kick off the King David Unity Match between the 24 State Constituencies from which budding talents would be harnessed to form the male and female football teams for the State.

Governor Umahi while announcing that the 80km section of the Abakaliki Ring Road from Ezzamgbo through Ezza North to Ikwo and Nwezenyi would commence in April also noted that the King David Gifted Academy has been handed over to the Catholic Church for more robust management of foremost training institute for Ebonyi talented future generation.

On Housing, Umahi said by April, the State Government would begin construction of houses for persons displaced at the new Ochoudo Centenary City Abakaliki and would double its engagement in the sector to take the welfare of the people to the next level.

He commended President Muhammadu Buhari for approving the sum of 6 billion naira for the establishment of limestone granules at Okpoto and another 500 million naira for an empirical search of salt deposits for the harnessing of hypochlorite for the treatment of water in the state.

The Chairman of the Occasion and former Governor of the State, Chief Martin Elechi, applauded Governor Umahi for showing the way in carrying youth along in governance and enjoined the participants to take the conference seriously to guarantee a better future.

“It is a great day indeed. Today Ebonyi State is taking the lead in matching forward in ensuring that our youths are not just leaders of tomorrow but leaders of this evening, we want to see you in action in shaping your future, you have to be active in telling the Country how this programme should be implemented. You should count yourselves lucky that on this day, you are not just listeners but active participants,” he said.

Chairman of the Central Planning Committee and Commissioner for Inter-Governmental Affairs, Pastor Eze Nwachukwu, said the#ENDSARS Youth Summit was put together to address the issues raised by the#ENDSARS agitators as a way of bequeathing a better future for Ebonyi youth.

He commended the Governor for the initiative describing it as the first-of-its-kind post #ENDSARS protest, aimed at setting the standard for other States across the country.

“This is the first of its kind across the country; we are sure that at the end, every youth participating in this programme will go out there to become ambassadors of peace”.

A guest Lecturer, Dr. David Ogbueli of Dominion City Worldwide commended Governor Umahi for the massive transformation in the State despite lean financial resources.

While calling on the youth to allow passion to drive their choice of trade, Dr. Ogbueli, challenged Ebonyians to love and cherish Governor Umahi for his purposeful governance in the state.

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