Posted by The Port Harcourt Telegraph on
The Rivers State Governor, Dr Peter Odili has opened Bank Accounts in five different banks, for each of the 577 Reformed Youths of Rivers State, who had successfully completed a 5-month training programme in Skills Acquisition at the Approved School, Borikiri, Port Harcourt.
The Rivers State Governor, Dr Peter Odili has opened Bank Accounts in five different banks, for each of the 577 Reformed Youths of Rivers State, who had successfully completed a 5-month training programme in Skills Acquisition at the Approved School, Borikiri, Port Harcourt.
The Reformed Youths, most of whom were former cultists were presented with a Pass-book, a Test Certificate 3 & 2, as well as skills equipment in their various skills, at the graduation ceremony of the programme at the Civic Centre in Port Harcourt
Speaking at the ceremony, Governor Odili urged the graduands to shun all forms of evil practices and embrace hard work, emphasizing that evil deeds would not lead anybody to success or happiness in life.
The Governor informed the youths that most of the successful men and women today in society are not those with University Degrees, but those who use their skills to produce things themselves, "so what you can do with your hand is a special gift from God, do not joke with it", Dr. Odili cautioned, stressing that skills acquisition is the key to their future prosperity and riches.
He assured the graduands that government would ensure that they are adequately protected from those who are yet to accept change, and enjoined them to use the training they have acquired to better their lives and those of their families, asserting that by so doing, they would have justified the huge investment of government in Youth rehabilitation programme.
He also told the graduands to take advantage of the-Technological And Industrial Park being proposed by government to put their newly acquired skills to practice, and congratulated the graduands on their achievements and announced a donation of N20,000.00 to each of the 577 participants in the programme in addition to the bank accounts already opened by government for each of them.
Also speaking, the wife of the Rivers State Governor, Justice Mary Odili enjoined the graduands to make good use of the knowledge acquired at the programme, expressing happiness over the specialized skills acquired by them.
Justice Odili also expressed gratitude to the State Governor, Dr Peter Odili for taking particular interest in the development and capacity building of youths, saying that his action has shown that The Adolescent Project was on course and commended the graduands for embracing the programme.
Earlier, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Social Services, Chief Mrs Priscilla Vikue, said the programme aimed at re-directing the energies of youths towards more productive ventures, and thanked the Governor and his wife for their support, adding that armed with new skills, the youths would not go back to the dark days of disturbances.
Responding on behalf of the graduands, Mr Teke Iyalla, thanked Governor Odili and his wife for providing succour for youths of the state and pledged total abstinence from all forms of evil practices, illegal oil bunkering, and examination malpractices and solicited support in that direction.