The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has donated goods and other items to over 200 people at Umuoziri Inyisi, Ikeduru LGA of Imo State, as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative, geared towards equipping Nigerian youths in the communities, with vocational and life skills that create wealth and support livelihood.

Speaking at the presentation of items to the good people of Umuoziri Inyisi, NPA Managing Director, Hadiza Bala Usman, expressed the institution’s unwavering commitment to positively impact lives and give back to society.

According to Ms Usman, who was represented by an NPA Principal Manager, Corporate/Strategic Communication, Mr. Ikechukwu Onyemekara, “The Nigerian Ports Authority is the regulatory body for all the ports in Nigeria and as a federal government agency, the Authority is deliberate about contributing to the efforts of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration to drastically reduce the number of people who live in abject poverty in our country. The presentation we are having is in furtherance of this determination.

“I am hopeful that these items, which include electrical grinding machines, sewing machines, and hand grinding machines will go a long way in putting food on the table for people in the community. We also hope that once beneficiaries get to work with these items, they would be able to take care of the basic needs of life that were hitherto problematic.”

Ms Usman noted that NPA is particularly interested in the empowerment of women and the youth “given the importance of the assistance that they can give to our fathers in the upbringing of children and the maintenance of our families, while in the case of the youth, it is important that they have some work at hand at every material time so that they will not be tempted to engage in anti-social activities.”

Concerning the items being presented; she said: “The Authority had taken particular note of people with skills and those without skills. This is why we have Sewing machines, which will be distributed to people who have learned the trade. The grinding machines are meant for women and youths who have not acquired these skills.”

She congratulated the beneficiaries and charged them to make judicious use of the items. “We have had instances of people who sell the items given to them immediately after handover, I want to appeal that you do not do this. On the contrary, please hold on to your items and make the best use of them to assist in keeping your families and community together,” she said.

The traditional ruler of Inyisi Autonomous Community, Eze Andrew Osuji, applauded NPA for initiating such a laudable programme to benefit the youths of the community. The visibly excited monarch also urged the beneficiaries to make appropriate use of the items.

Earlier his welcome address, the President-General of the community, Ass. Prof. Richard C. Ihejirika, thanked the NPA Managing Director “for this wonderful gesture” to the people of his community.

According to him, “From all indications, it is like God visited the community in the likeness of men to liberate the people of community from poverty and destitution. The men that epitomise God in this context are no other persons than the managing director of the NPA, Hadiza Bala Usman, and her team”.

Ihejirika said it is obvious that Ms. Usman may have heard of Umuoziri community as to know the social and economic status of the community. He noted that the community leadership had never known Hadiza Bala Usman before now and there is no way the community would have dreamt of what she can do especially with regards to empowering the youths and the less privileged persons in the community.

According to him, “The leadership and people of the community expresses their profound gratitude to President Mohammadu Buhari and Ms, Hadiza Bala Usman for their uncommon gesture.

“Ms. Usman, Ma, on behalf of the Umuoziri community. I wish to pledge our unalloyed support for your office, the Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA) and the Federal Government of Nigeria.

Update news