…๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ค๐ฌ๐๐ง๐จ ๐๐ค๐ช๐ฉ๐๐จ ๐๐๐ฉ๐ ๐๐ค๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ฃ๐๐จ
It was a moment of fruitful deliberation and recognition of hardwork, as youths of Anambra State, under the umbrella of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), Anambra State Chapter, held their ๐๐ค๐ช๐ฉ๐ ๐๐ฃ๐ฃ๐ค๐ซ๐๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐ ๐ฝ๐ช๐จ๐๐ฃ๐๐จ๐จ ๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ค๐ฌ๐๐ง๐ข๐๐ฃ๐ฉ ๐๐ช๐ข๐ข๐๐ฉ ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ญ๐ฉ๐ง๐๐ค๐ง๐๐๐ฃ๐๐ง๐ฎ ๐ผ๐๐๐๐๐ซ๐๐ง๐จ ๐ผ๐ฌ๐๐ง๐, for the year 2023.
Themed โ๐๐๐ง๐ฃ๐๐จ๐จ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ก๐ค๐๐๐ก ๐ฝ๐ช๐จ๐๐ฃ๐๐จ๐จ ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ค๐ง๐ฉ๐ช๐ฃ๐๐ฉ๐๐๐จ ๐๐๐ง๐ค๐ช๐๐ ๐๐ฃ๐ฃ๐ค๐ซ๐๐ฉ๐๐ค๐ฃ, ๐๐ค๐ง ๐๐ช๐จ๐ฉ๐๐๐ฃ๐๐๐๐ก๐๐ฉ๐ฎ ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ช๐ง๐ซ๐๐ซ๐๐ก ๐ค๐ ๐๐ค๐๐๐ฎ’๐จ ๐๐๐ค๐ฃ๐ค๐ข๐๐ ๐พ๐๐๐ก๐ก๐๐ฃ๐๐๐จ ๐๐ฃ ๐๐๐๐๐ง๐๐โ, the event, which was held on Saturday at Awka, the Anambra State capital attracted youths from different parts of the State, academics, as well as captains of industries and political office holders, among other participants.
Delivering a lecture at the event, the Guest Speaker and Director, UNIZIK Business School, ๐๐ง๐ค๐. ๐๐ข๐ข๐ ๐๐ ๐ค๐ฎ๐, who gave overviews of the key concepts on the theme, said Nigeria is performing poorly and lagging behind in harnessing opportunities through innovation, which, he said, is reflecting on the countryโs economic situation. He highlighted the various global ratings on innovation, economic performance and sustainability, in which, he said, Nigeria has performed poorly, even despite being the Giant of Africa.
According to him, some of the reasons why many smaller African countries perform better than Nigeria in many global ratings hinge on their formidable institutions, infrastructure, market sophistication (linkage between some industries and higher institutions), as well as educational system, among others. โAt least, 26% of a nationโs budget should be for education. But in Nigeria, the figure is usually between 5% and 6%. And that is part of the reasons we are having the issues we are having in this country,โ he said.
He further harped on the need for business owners, artisans, and others to go online, become ICT compliant, join cooperatives, explore emerging opportunities, keep innovating new products and approaches that keep adding values to their customers, and also put their trust in God.
Earlier in his address of welcome, the State Chairman of the NYCN, ๐ผ๐ข๐. ๐๐ช๐ง๐ซ. ๐๐๐ ๐๐ข๐๐ ๐ said the event was aimed at providing solution and answers to challenges that the youths face in their day-to-day business engagement, moulding the youths for a better future, as well as recognizing some individuals who have done well in supporting and promoting the affairs of the youths for a better society. He also appreciated those who contributed in one way or the other to the success of the event, while also urging the youths to remain steadfast in achieving their dreams.
Also speaking, the Minister of Women Affairs, ๐ฝ๐๐ง๐ง. ๐๐ง๐จ. ๐๐๐ช ๐๐๐ฃ๐ฃ๐๐๐ฎ ๐๐๐๐ฃ๐๐ฃ๐ฎ๐, who was an awardee at the event, condemned the rate of get it quick syndrome among the youths in the society today.
While assuring that government still has the interest of the youths at heart, ๐ฝ๐๐ง๐ง. ๐๐๐๐ฃ๐๐ฃ๐ฎ๐, represented by ๐ฟ๐ง. ๐๐ฌ๐๐๐๐ช๐ ๐ฌ๐ช ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ค๐ง, however urged the youths to also embrace skills acquisition and dream to be self-reliant, rather than depending solely on the government. The Minister further urged the youths to be diligent, steadfast, and good ambassadors of the State and the Nigeria at large.
On his own part, the Anambra State Police Commissioner, ๐พ๐ ๐ผ๐๐๐ง๐๐ข๐ ๐ผ๐๐๐ค๐ฎ๐, represented by the Operations Officer of the Command, ๐พ๐๐ ๐๐๐ก๐ก๐๐๐ข ๐๐๐ช๐ข๐ช reminded the youths that the future of the country lie in their hands. He, however, regretted that some youths in the country now deviate from the expected norms in society and go into illegal activities that constitute problems and challenges in the country, such as criminality, cultism, cybercrime, among others. He further advised the youths to always dream to be solution providers in the society, rather than being parts of the problems to be solved.
The event also featured the investiture and decoration of the MD/CEO of the Pool King Global Investment Ltd., ๐๐ง. ๐๐๐๐ง๐๐๐ก ๐พ๐๐ช๐ ๐ฌ๐ช๐ฃ๐ฌ๐๐ฃ๐๐ช as the Anambra Youth Commander, whom in his remarks shortly after the decoration, described youths as the powerhouse of every society. He recalled how he relocated his investment from Abuja to Anambra, his home-state, because of his love for his state and his interest to also make impact in his own State; even as he urged every Anambra youth to always aspire to make impacts and contribute positively in the society.
On his part, one of the awardees at the event and Anambra State Commissioner for Environment, ๐๐ฃ๐๐ง. ๐๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐๐๐๐ข๐๐๐ฌ๐ช informed the youths that the world is full of opportunities and possibilities, adding that there is much to attain, for any youth who is focused and dedicated. According to him, the future truly belongs to the youths, but the advocacy and foundation for the better future should start today, even as the youths themselves ought be active and participatory in shaping their dreamed future. He also emphasized the need to maintain a very clean and healthy environment at all times, as, according to him, environmental concerns and sustainability should be everybodyโs business.
In their separate remarks, CEO Falcon-Nest Project Ltd, Ambassador Ifechi Clement Martins, Engr. Emmanuel Uzodigwe Nwanwuba and President General, Umueri, Dr. John Metchie commended the group for the award and pledged continous partnernership to empower the youths.
Others who graced the occasion include the Transition Committee Chairman for Awka South Local Government Area, ๐๐ง. ๐๐๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ค๐ ๐ผ๐ฃ๐๐๐ค๐ง; the Permanent Secretary of the State Ministry of Youths, ๐ฟ๐ง. ๐ฟ๐๐ฃ๐๐๐ก ๐๐ฏ๐๐๐ฃ๐ฌ๐ช; the Ag. National Youth Leader of Ohaneze Ndแป Igbo Worldwide (Youth Wing), ๐๐๐ฏ๐ ๐พ๐๐ช๐ ๐ฌ๐ช๐ข๐ ๐๐ ๐ฅ๐๐ก๐๐๐ฏ๐๐ช๐ ๐ฌ๐ช; a representative of the Department of State Service (DSS) in Anambra, ๐ฝ๐๐ง๐ง. ๐ ๐ค๐จ๐๐ฅ๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐; the President of Anambra State Association of Town Union (ASATU) Youth Wing, ๐พ๐ค๐ข๐ง๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ฃ ๐๐ ๐ค๐ก๐, among other personalities and groups.
Aside lectures and interactive sessions, the summit also featured presentation of awards and conferment of titles to some of the guests and other deserving individuals, including the Chairman of the Chisco Group of Companies, ๐พ๐๐๐๐ ๐พ๐๐๐๐ ๐ผ๐ฃ๐ฎ๐๐๐๐๐ช; the President General of Umueri, ๐ฟ๐ง. ๐
๐ค๐๐ฃ ๐๐๐ฉ๐๐๐๐; the CEO, Falcon-Nest Project Ltd., ๐ผ๐ข๐๐๐จ๐จ๐๐๐ค๐ง ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐พ๐ก๐๐ข๐๐ฃ๐ฉ ๐๐๐ง๐ฉ๐๐ฃ๐จ; and the CEO, Rest Assured Resort & Hotels, Umunze, ๐๐ง. ๐ฝ๐๐๐๐๐ง ๐๐๐๐ ๐ฌ๐.
The CEO, Vheluks Nig. Ltd., ๐๐ง. ๐๐๐ฃ๐ง๐ฎ ๐๐ฏ๐๐๐ฃ๐; the CEO, Anesta Farms and Agro Allied Industry Nig. Ltd., ๐๐ค๐ฃ. ๐๐ฉ๐๐ฃ๐๐จ๐ก๐๐ช๐จ ๐๐ฃ๐๐ ๐; the CEO, Alpha Investment Nig. Ltd., ๐พ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐จ๐๐ฃ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ฃ๐๐ข๐; ๐พ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ค๐ฃ๐ข๐ ๐ฝ๐ค๐ ๐๐ข๐ข๐๐ฃ๐ช๐๐ก ๐พ๐๐ช๐ ๐ฌ๐ช๐๐ข๐๐ ๐; ๐๐ฃ๐๐ง. ๐๐ข๐ข๐๐ฃ๐ช๐๐ก ๐๐ฏ๐ค๐๐๐๐ฌ๐, were also awarded at the event, among others.
Brand new PoS machines and cash seed donated by the CEO of De Graceland Homes Ltd., ๐พ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ค๐ก๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ช๐ ๐ฌ๐ช ๐๐ค๐ซ๐๐๐๐ฎ, for the empowerment of the youths were also distributed to the beneficiaries at the well-attended 2023 youth summit.
Develop the Youth !! Develop the Nation !!!
