The Special Assistant to the Ebonyi State Governor on Youth Mobilization, Comrade Eze Paul Ituma said on Monday that his principal, Chief Francis Nwifuru has lifted many youths from poverty in less than two years of assuming office.
Ituma, while interacting with newsmen on International Youth Day, IYD at Abakaliki, commended Ebonyi youths for remaining peaceful since Governor Nwifuru took over the leadership of the state.
He attributed the peaceful atmosphere witnessed in Ebonyi to the youth-friendly leadership style of Governor Nwifuru in the state.
"The governor has made it possible for Ebonyi today to be a crime-free state, since the inception of his government. The governor deemed it a feat to appoint me to this position, because, without the appointment, I wouldn't have the opportunity. His Excellency ran his election on the agenda of the People's Charter of Needs, came on seat, and tackled issues affecting Ebonyi people headlong.
"If you watch his appointment, 80 percent of his appointees are youths. The 70 percent of the elected officers are youths. So, this present administration has prioritized youth inclusiveness in government.
"If you look at the just concluded local government elections, the 95 percent of the elected Chairmen are the youths, and the 98 percent of the ward councilors elect are youths.
"If you talk about the management committee members 80 percent of them are youths and for the development center coordinators, 95 percent of them are youths. If you check the supervisors across the 13 local government areas, 70 percent of them are youths.
"When you look at all these things, you find out that before now there has been a narrative that youths are the leaders of tomorrow, but this present administration under the watch of Governor Nwifuru changed the narrative. Youths are no longer the leaders of tomorrow, but the leaders of today, therefore, they are taking their destines into their own hands.
"All these measures being taken by the present administration practically reduced crimes and criminalities to the barest minimum in Ebonyi State and all of us are enjoying it," Ituma said.
He disclosed that the Ebony youths shunned the nationwide protest against hunger and bad leadership, as areas a result of inyouth'sveness in governance in the state.
"If your destiny is in your hands, it is left to you to develop it. The mantle of leadership has been handed over to the Ebonyi youths, and they are making very good use of it. You know the theme of this year's International Youth Day celebration is very apt, "Click to progress." Through the various empowerment programs of this present administration, the government of Ebonyi State has empowered Ebonyi youths in such a they are clicking into it for more growth and development of the economy and human talents.
"The governor had taken Ebonyi youth into the parts of progress, and there's nothing Ebonyi youths can do other than sustaining the gains they have made in this present administration. You talk about the 2 million Naira hawkers empowerment fund, which has positive impacts on youths who benefit from it.
"You talk about 50,000 Naira under the privileged fund, just a week yesterday Sunday, the governor announced one million Naira empowerment fund for each youth, which means 1,300 youths are going to benefit one million Naira each.
"It means in no distant future, Ebonyi is going to produce 1,300 millionaires under the few minutes of the governor. Again, His Excellency empowered youths with 2 million Naira a few months ago. You can understand that anybody who has one million Naira business or more, within a year plus, can help others out of poverty.
"So, the youths of Ebonyi State have no reason to go into protest, because you can't destroy what you have. The governor is doing well and has just 13 months in office, and the governor has touched all the sectors of the economy in the state.
"We the youths of Ebonyi have converged at the Ecumenical Centre where we had a one-day youth solidarity summit and after extensive deliberation, the youths
who x-rayed what the governor has done for us, and resolved that there's no need to embark on any form of protest, rather the best thing is to support and pray for the government in power."
