Agha Mba to Anambra Youths: Be Alert Lest We Lose Current Zest in State Devpt

By Chuka Nnabuife 

ANAMBRA State's youths have been urged to play active role in the development of the society. They have been advised to resolutely guard against aloofness when they are supposed to be keen and alert.

The state's Commissioner for Youth Development, Patrick Agha Mba made the call on Friday while Inaugurating a body of youth volunteer workers for the second phase of the '1 Youth 2 Skills Solution' (1Y2SS) program of the state. 

He called on the state's youths to play active roles in society and be very relevant in all the transformational developments that are currently happening in every part of Anambra.

According to Mr. Agha Mba, it is necessary that young people commit totally to the goals of the mission of Gov. Chukwuma Charles Soludo's Solution Government which is seriously desirous of turning Anambra into a livable, hospitable and healthy society. 

The dream of turning the entire Anambra State into one sprawling mega city, he reasoned, "is a mission Gov. Soludo is pursuing and he is keen to achieve it. We can see serious development work going on, everywhere in the state, all in bid to achieve the dream of Mr. Governor. All we need is to key in because a lot is happening and we never let the fire die down." He therefore urged the youth leaders to assume vanguard watchdog and enabler positions in their communities to ensure that the lofty goals are not hindered.

While commissioning the  youth leaders who have volunteered for the purpose of monitoring and supervising the implementation of the second phase of the 1Y2SS in the 179 communities in Anambra State, Agha Mba told them to be ambassadors of the government and agents of progress in their domains, particularly on youth empowerment programs. He informed that "Mr. Governor wants the best for Anambra youths" and 1Y2SS's "mission is to make sure that every Anambra youth is economically viable and responsible." 

He explained the three main targets of 1Y2SS to  comprise: creating business from non-existing businesses; improving existing businesses and grooming Umu Boyi (trading apprentices) to evolve into successful business men.

Over 170 volunteers were commissioned in the event held at the State Development Centre in the Ukwu Oji area, behind Governor's Office, Awka. The volunteers were drawn from the youth arms of such bodies as Ohaneze Ndi Igbo, National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), Anambra State Association of Town Unions (ASATU), All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) as well as the Anambra State ICT Agency, Solution YouthPrenuer Support Group (a body of former 1Y2SS master trainers), 1Y2SS local governments information  volunteers among others. 

Speaking during the occasion, Director of Youths Department of Anambra State's Ministry of Youth Development, Chito Osili noted that the evolvement of "real youths-oriented" initiatives in the ministry and the way Agha-Mba embarked on them, "like a man who is well grounded in youths leadership and mobilisation" is the best thing the state government has ever done to Anambra youths' development. Identifying Gov. Soludo as man who is outstanding in the way he keeps his words, she told the volunteers to rejoice and ensure that members of their communities see and feel the radical positive changes in the state. She urged the volunteers to keep their hopes alive because there are high rewards in their service to ndị Anambra as Agha Mba had earlier said.