A personal Assistant
to the Chief of Staff, Government House, Port Harcourt, Mr Chikwe Orlu, has presented various empowerment items to over 54 youths of Rumuigbo Community in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State, as a way of contributing to human development and eradicate hunger and poverty in the area.
The youths comprising indigenes and non-indigenes were presented welding machines,  tiling machines, cutting machines, clippers, generators and handsets to help them start their own businesses.
The presentation ceremony which was held in the community last Sunday was organised under the auspices of the Chakiricha People’s Assembly and it attracted top government functionaries including the Chief of Staff, Government House, Port Harcourt, Chief Tony Okocha, Chairman  of Obio/Akpor Caretaker Committee, Dr Lawrence Chuku, chiefs and some APC chieftains among others.
Speaking at the occasion, Chief Tony Okocha commended his aide, Mr Chikwe Orlu for the feat which he said was worthy of emulation, and expressed delight that his people were increasingly becoming aware that “it pays to teach them how to fish than giving them fishes.”
He said the items presented to the beneficiaries would add value to their lives, stressing that what would make a man to be remembered in life was how much he was able to positively impact the lives of the people, particularly the minimally advantaged ones.
The Chief of Staff congratulated the people of Chakiricha for their unity of purpose, saying, they were bonded in unity, togetherness and love, stressing that it was by so doing that they were able to achieve the empowerment feat.
He, however, promised to sponsor 20 youths of the area on skills at a reputable skills acquisition centre in Port Harcourt, assuring that as soon as they graduated from the centre, starter packs and equipment would be provided to them to help them to fend for themselves.
Also speaking, the Chairman of OBALGA Caretaker Committee, Dr Lawrence Chuku, hailed the gesture, saying , it was a step in the right direction, and urged the people of the area to identify with the APC.
On his part, the Paramount Ruler of  Iboloji community in Rumuigbo Clan, Eze Allwell Ome-Egeonu thanked the sponsor of the empowerment programme for his sense of philanthropy, saying, it was a thing of joy for Mr Orlu to share his wealth with commoners.
Speaking in an interview, Mr Chikwe Orlu said he was driven by his love and belief for human development to use the meagre resources at his disposal to empower the beneficiaries so as to help their families and also put food on their table, stressing  that those selected  for consideration by a committee set up for that purpose were actually helpless.
While urging the beneficiaries to properly use the items, he assured that more persons would be empowered in the nearest future.
One of the beneficiaries, Mr Mathew Nnamdi Wosu thanked Mr Orlu for the gesture, saying, he would use his new welding machine to start off his own business.

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