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From George Onyejiuwa, Owerri
The excitement and joy was palpable at the NASENI Skills Acquisition Centre, at the Owerri North council headquarters, last Saturday, as about 420 youths and women from across the nine local governments that make up Imo East (Owerri senatorial zone), who had undergone a week-long training in Artificial Intelligence (Al) and Website Design, Phone Repairs and Maintenance, and Aquaculture/Fishery, sponsored by Senator Ezenwa Onyewuchi, received their start-up-kits and stipends for transportation.
Speaking at the grand finale, Mr Chiaka Emerald Alozie, (Chief of Staff to Senator Onyewuchi), who stood in for him, said about 420 youths, women, and other residents of Owerri senatorial zone, who had undergone the week-long skills acquisition training, were being given their empowerment start-up-kits which, he said, had been provided at no cost to the participants.
“This is what Senator Onyewuchi is known for. He doesn’t just sponsor skills acquisition training for the constituents of the Owerri zone, but, also, provides the tools for those who participated in the skills acquisition to start-up their businesses. He is not nick-named “Mr Empowerment” for the fun of it. He also built this NASENI Skills Acquisition Training Centre. In this centre, we have different sections for fishery/aquaculture, solar installation/maintenance, graphics design and printing, website design and Al training and phone repairs and maintenance.
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But, today, we are empowering those who have been coming here in the past week to train in the three skills: Al training, phone repairs and maintenance, fishery/aquaculture. They completed their training on Friday. Those for Al training received a brand new laptop; those who trained in phone repairs and maintenance were given a total package of 12 different tools to enable them start. Similarly, those for fishery/aquaculture were given the things required for them to set up a business in their respective communities. They received mobile ponds, feeds, and fingerlings to set up their business.”
Alozie further disclosed that another batch of youths and women will commence training at the centre, and that the skills acquisition training is not a one-off programme, but a continuous one, as part of Senator Onyewuchi’s policy to assist the youths and women to be self-reliant.
“This skills acquisition training for the people of Owerri senatorial zone is a continuous programme by Senator Onyewuchi Ezenwa, to help pull our youths and women out of poverty. He has also provided electricity transformers as part of empowerment to communities that do not have electricity in Owerri zone. He has renovated schools and health centres across the nine local governments that make up Imo East (Owerri senatorial zone).
“Therefore, I want to advise today’s beneficiaries to seize the opportunity to be self employed and self-reliant, and, also, to train others. They should not sell what they were given today but use it to better their lives and those of their families”.
Some of the beneficiaries, who spoke to Daily Sun, expressed gratitude to Senator Onyewuchi for his benevolence and for constantly reaching out to his constituents.
Peter Daniel Anyanwu from Ahiazu Mbaise, who participated in the fishery training, said, “Today, I have a job that I can use to train my kids. I thank God and Senator Onyewuchi Ezenwa for this opportunity. We have been training for over a week,which ended this Friday, and, today, (Saturday) is the empowerment. I received all the things I needed to start my own fish farm, including the pond, feeds, and fingerlings. God bless Senator Onyewuchi Ezenwa”.
Maduabuchi Samuel from the Alulu community in Ngor Okpala, who trained on phone repairs and maintenance, also expressed his gratitude to Senator Onyewuchi Ezenwa. “I trained on phone repairs and maintenance. We were given all the total start-up tools. The training I received has sharpened my skills in handling different types of phones. We were also given stipends to help rent a shop. We thank Senator Onyewuchi Ezenwa and God will continue to bless him”.
Similarly, Odoemena Placid Onyedikachi, from Aboh Mbaise, who participated in Al training, said “we were trained in every aspect of Al packages and we were thoroughly trained. I received a brand new laptop after the training. I’m grateful to Senator Onyewuchi Ezenwa for his benevolence by reaching out to his constituents. I really commend his effort in tackling unemployment in the state through his constant empowerment programmes. If other senators were doing similar things, Imo State would have changed. But most of them just pocket the money. May God continue to bless him”.
