Over one hundred youths trained by the Etche Local Government Council in Rivers State have passed out and were assisted with various starter packs.
The starter packs comprises generators, computer sets, photocopy machines, scanners as well as an undischased amount of money to enable them start their own business.
Speaking at the graduation ceremony held at the council headquarters, Okehi Tuesday, the chairman of the council, Barr Reginald Ukwuoma said the gesture underscore his administration’s commitment to advance the course of development in the area.
Barrister Ukwuoma noted that the youths as leaders of tomorrow hence, every committed government must accord upmost priority to the youths development in the society.
According to him, youths development are among the four cardinal points which his administration attacks with great importance and urged the youths in the area to remain peaceful.
He advised the graduands to judiciously use the starter packs provided by his administration to better their lives and contribute their quota to the development of the society.
The council boss however, averred that the second batch of the ICT programme would depend on the performance of the first batch adding that a monitoring committee would be constituted to cheek the abuse in the use of the starter packs and thanked the legislative arm for their support.
On the financial assistance to the 30 physically challenged persons in the area, the council boss said the motive was to give them a sense of belonging in the society.
He announced that hence forth, each physically challenged persons would be receiving a monthly stipend from the council as a way of assisting them adding that a legislation to promote continuity of the programme would be passed by the local government legislative arm.
The council boss used the opportunity to call on the people of the area to give the present administration support and cooperation to enable them deliver the needed transformation in the area.
Earlier in his speech, the chairman of the occasion, Chief Ambrose Igbokwe while commending the council boss for the project described it as people-oriented.
He advised the beneficiaries to make good use of the equipment provided by the council to assist themselves and their respective fairless.

Faith Nwobize