Group Seeks Opportunities For Youths On National Dev

A group, ‘Start-Up Port Harcourt’ has called for more opportunities to be accorded youths in order to enhance their creativity and contribute to the nation’s socio-economic development.
The group also said such efforts would enable Nigeria diversify from oil to digital economy, noting that Rivers has an active youth population with talents and potentials that should be developed to reduce unemployment.
Convener of the ‘Start-Up Port Harcourt Week’, Beremi Fiberesima made the call at a press briefing in Port Harcourt ahead of the organization’s 4th annual conference in the Rivers State capital.
Fiberesima said the conference with the theme ‘From Oil to Tech, Preparing for the Future’ scheduled from 20th and 26th October this year at the Port Harcourt Pleasure Park would engage intellectuals, youths, investors and stakeholders to discuss the state of eco-system in the society.
He said, “Rivers State has a youth population of almost three million. And the ratings by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBC) shows that the state is one of the highest when it comes to unemployment.
“What that means is that we have not optimize the demographic dividends. Our population, the youth population has so much energy domiciled in it and if we don’t utilized it properly it can turn against us.”
He expressed optimism that the creative economy will help young people develop and express their talents through various technological ideas and games, which he said are some of the areas the forth-coming conference would want to highlight.
“For that reason we decided to start this conference in 2016 called Start up Port Harcourt Week to bring together like minds within the city. Young men and women who have a lot of talents deposited in them but have struggled to express those talents.
“We have drawn examples from the United State and other parts of the first world where the human resources, what is in the brain can be converted to economic gains and can grow from ideas to corporation,” Fiberesima stated.
The convener further expressed the need for the creative and digital economy in Port Harcourt to be harnessed as part of government’s effort to diversify the economy, saying, “”We have a lot of young talents. They are very talented. They don’t wear suits and tie, but they offer a lot of value very talented, but society discriminates them because of their appearance.
“We want that body where they can feel at home and their value is recognized. We have people who have talents that would add value to the creative sector of the Nigerian economy. We are also hoping that this conference year after year would begin to record milestones.
He listed some of the activities lined up for the conference to include investors dinner, town hall meeting, demo day, games party, ease of doing business, gamers party, recreation among others; adding that the event would be preceded by an innovation tour where a team of journalists, bloggers and others would visit hubs, creative community spaces and start up friendly coffee shops and restaurants.
While noting that most times crime thrives due to ignorance, he said the week-long event would bring to the limelight spaces that add value to Port Harcourt creative and digital economy.
Also speaking, member, Planning Committee of the ‘Start-Up Port Harcourt Week, Akelachi Kejeh said since its debut in 2016, the conference has had a ripple effect for participants some of who have laudable testimonies.
“A lot of young people in Port Harcourt don’t even know that people are creating solutions and doing things with their lives because they don’t know that story. Start-Up Port Harcourt Week is exposing these people who are doing great things and they in turn influence others and inspired them.
“So if you have no idea before with what to do with your life, just coming that conference alone inspires and enable you make meaningful connections,” She said.

Dennis Naku