TO ensure a peaceful and more progressive country, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State has called on the international community to engage in the sponsorship of training programmes for Nigerian youths in the area of skill acquisition.

Governor Okowa made the call on Thursday when the Ambassador of the United States of America to Nigeria, Mr Stuart Symington, paid him a courtesy visit in Asaba.

According to the governor, “We are giving hope to our youths because, we know that the more youths we take out of the streets, the more peace we will have and the more investment and development that can take place in the country.”

“It is important that the international community engage in the training of our youths in skill acquisition as it will go a long way to equip them to contribute to the socio-economic development of the country,” the governor said, adding, “we thank you (Ambassador of the USA) for contributing your quota in the training of some of our youths in agro-business; the state will partner with you to train more youths in agro-business; we are looking for more partners.”

He continued: “We thank the World Bank for contributing to the training of our youths through the SEEFOR; we are aware that a lot of jobs need to be done and a lot of youths need to be trained.”

“So far, as a state government, we have carried out three cycles of our job creation training; we monitor and mentor our trainees and we are glad to say that we have over 62 per cent success rates in our wealth creation programmes,” the governor disclosed.

He commended the Ambassador for visiting the state to find out the progress made in the training of beneficiaries of Presidential Amnesty programmes, expressing delight that the facilities used for the training would be useful in training more youths in the wealth creation programmes of his administration.

Mr Symington had in a speech said they were in the state to visit the agricultural training programme going on through the Presidential Amnesty programme in partnership with some American investors.

While commending Governor Okowa’s administration for providing a conducive environment for the training to take place, he observed that agricultural business would boost the economy of Nigeria.

He added that Nigeria is the economic hub of Africa and the youths through skill acquisition which they must put into use, can change their lives and make the country great.

•Photo by Bripin Enarusai shows Governor Ifeanyi Okowa (right), and the US Ambassador to Nigeria, His Excellency W. Stuart Symington during a courtesy call by the later on the Governor in Asaba.