Considering the position youths occupy in the society and the 2014 International Youth Day theme “Youth and Mental Health”, Commissioner for Youth Development, Sir. Owene Wonodi has cautioned Youths in the state against the use of illicit drugs to avoid unnecessary mental disorder that is capable of endangering their lives.
The commissioner gave this charge at the grand finale of the celebration of the youth day in the state at the Ministry of Justice conference Hall, Port Harcourt.
Sir Wonodi noted that over 20% of the world youth population have mental disorders and that such victims with this disorder suffer stigma which makes them to dissociate with others for fear of being negatively labeled, calling on all to use the occasion of this year’s theme to show love and care to them. That rather than the youths to take to drug, they should take advantage of the various empowerment programmes organized in his ministry to become self reliant and useful to the society.
He recalled that his ministry through it’s skills acquisition training programme has succeeded to a large extent in curbing the rate of empowerment in the state, as several youths from 23LGAs of the state have undergone training in the areas of Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Mobile cellphone repairs (GSM), others are welding and fabrication, tailoring fashion as well as capacity building for cooperatives.
Upon completion of the training exercise, the Youth Development Boss said certificate of competency and starter packs ranging from generating sets, computers, sewing machines, welding tools amongst others will be given to the beneficiaries to kick start their businesses, adding that similar exercise will hold on Friday 15th of August 2014 at the Conference Hall of Ministry of Justice, Port Harcourt.
The Youth Development Boss enjoined the youths not to allow themselves to be used as tools in the hands of politicians who don’t have the interest of the state at heart, but are just bent on clinching power at all cost.
While urging the youths to remain steadfast and support the Gov. Amaechi led administration who he said has demonstrated genuine passion concerning issues of youths through the establishment of Micro-Finance Agency through which small and large SME and accessed funds for their businesses, overseas scholarship programmes amongst others called on companies in the state to create job opportunities for the teeming youths as part of social responsibilities to compliment the state’s government effort.
In his remarks, the Special Adviser to Gov. Amaechi on ICT, Mr. Goodliff Nmekini who chaired the event noted that the role of youths in nation building cannot be overemphasized, and enjoined the youths to take advantage of the new Ministry of Youth website www.riversyouthministry.org. to access the Ministry. The deputy Chairman of National Youth Council of Nigeria, Rivers State chapter. Comrade Robinson Elechi commended Sir. Wonodi on his ministry’s skills acquisition effort, to ensuring that the youths are empowered economically.
Mr. Elechi enjoined the youths to continue to support the present administration who according to him are given various opportunities for youths to excel in their fields and called on companies to give jobs to the youths.
It would be recalled that the International Youth day is a day set aside worldwide every 12th August which celebrates the potentials of youths as partners in today’s global society and to promote ways to even engage them in becoming more actively involved in making positive contributions to the communities and society at large.
Highlights of the events were the presentation of awards to deserving youths, dance performances. ###
