Delta State Governor, Senator Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, has called for spirited efforts to get the youths engaged to check restiveness and criminality in the country.

Governor Okowa made the call on Thursday in Asaba when he received a team of World Bank, European Union and Federal Government officials who were in the state to assess the level of implementation of State Employment and Expenditure For Results (SEEFOR) projects.

According to the governor, “We thank the World Bank for the efforts, but, there are still very big gaps in our country and we know that partnering with the private sector as a state, we would be able to find other means to attend to the gaps that are still existing in the area of youths unemployment because, once we are able to do that, we would be able to achieve and sustain the security and peace that we have in the state.”

Okowa disclosed that getting the youths engaged was in line with his administration’s commitment to making the youths job creators through the different youths employment and wealth creation programmes of his administration.

“We are happy with the partnership between World Bank and the European Union, we are happy that the youth empowerment components are working in Delta State as over 700 youths have been trained and empowered through this partnership and they are on their own,” he said, adding: “We hope that this collaboration will continue to improve by the day.”

While noting that his administration has spent a lot of money to ensure the empowerment of youths, Governor Okowa, stated that the youths are also working hard to achieve results as “the price of hard work is to continue to work harder.”

The team leader, Mr Brar Parminder had lauded Okowa’s administration for ensuring that the SEEFOR projects are succeeding in the state, disclosing that they were impressed with the success stories of the SEEFOR programmes in the state.

•Photo by Jibunor Samuel shows Governor Ifeanyi Okowa (left) and the Task Team Leader (Seefor Project), Brar Parminder, during a courtesy call on the Governor, in Government House Asaba

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