Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State on Tuesday sworn-in his new Special Adviser on Youth Development, Chief Emuobor Kenneth Gbagi Jnr.
The governor during the brief swearing-in ceremony however urged the youth to look inward and jettison the rush to other countries of the world, so as to reduce the inhuman treatments and deportation as was the case in recent times.
Okowa noted that it makes great economic sense for those travelling overseas through dangerous deserts and high seas to invest such funds in small scale businesses in the state and Nigeria.
He lamented the frequent death tolls of Nigerians travelling illegally through all kinds of deserts, forests and high seas to seek for menial jobs in foreign land. The governor suggested that monies spent on such uncertainty and journey to the unknown can deployed to kick start small scale businesses that guarantees growth and expansion, create wealth and provide jobs for others as investments yields steady profits.
Governor Okowa disclosed that his administration shall continue to create wealth and jobs for women and youth through skills acquisitions and multifaceted empowerment programmes, and charged the Special Adviser on Youth Development, to work closely with the Bureau of Job and Wealth creation as well as Special Assistants, Senior Special Assistants and Executive Assistant on Youth Development.
“It does not make sense for our Youth to waste their time and financial resources travelling abroad, instead of investing on small and medium scale businesses. We are faced with sad and horrible stories of how some of them met untimely death while others suffered untold hardship in the process of searching for greener pastures that barely exist in those countries.
“As a government we shall continue to invest on our youth because they are the future of our state and country. The Special Adviser on Youth Development in collaboration with relevant Ministries, Departments, Agencies and other political appointees saddled with such responsibilities are to design and implement programmes that will empower and develop our Youth in line with the Stronger Delta Agenda.
“I have no doubt in my mind that Chief Emuobor Gbagi will do the needful to ensure that Youth in the State are properly integrated into the system by way of engaging as many as possible subject to availability of funds at government disposal,” Okowa said.
The governor also inaugurated five boards including; Governing Board of Ozoro Polytechnic with Barrister Andrew Orugbo as Chairman, Board of School of Health Technology, Ofoma with Dr Chris Oharisi as Chairman. Others are Primary Education Board, Delta State Waste Management Board and Delta State Library Board, respectively.
The occasion was well attended by some Royal fathers, party leaders, political appointees and top government functionaries which includes; the state deputy governor, Barrister Kingsley Otuaro and his wife, Speaker Delta State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori.
Others are Secretary to Delta State Government, Barrister Chiedu Ebie, Head of Service, Reginald Bayoko, Chief of Staff, Olorogun David Edevbie, Senior Political Adviser to the Governor, Rt Hon Solomon Funkekeme and some commissioners.
