BUDGET DEFENCE: COMMISSIONER BEMOANS YOUTH EMPOWERMENT IN ANAMBRA STATE

REPORTER: UCHE NDEKE

Anambra State Commissioner for Youth Development, Mr. Patrick Aghamba, says the situation of the ministry as at the time of his assumption was not encouraging.

The Commissioner gave the insight during the ongoing 2022 revised budget bilateral discussion at the state House of Assembly.

According to the Commissioner, the handover records showed that only about two hundred youths were empowered in a fiscal year and only fifty persons got starter parks, which he described as totally unacceptable.

Mr. Aghamba said the administration of Governor Chukwuma Soludo had come up with programmes that would realistically and holistically address the problems associated with youth development.

He said that the government was set to engage the teeming youth population in meaningful ventures as a way of tackling the restiveness being witnessed in the area.

The Commissioner expressed the hope that the passage of the budget would create an enabling environment for all-round youth empowerment.

He noted that the proposed revised budget captured that three hundred ICT compliance youths would be produced for direct employment, while plans had been concluded to begin business start up for one thousand youths who would be trained in different areas including agro allied, fishery, poultry, metal works, tailoring among others.

The Chairman House Committee on Youth and Sports Development, Mr. Noble Igwe, alongside other members of the committee, took turns to ask for clarifications about some provisions in the revised budget, including a one hundred million naira estimate for continuation of work at the NYSC permanent site at Mbaukwu-Umuawulu, which the Commissioner cleared their doubts.

The Committee asked the Chairman of Anambra State Sports Development Commission, Mr. Tony Oli, to take a bow after going through his budget estimate.

EDITED BY CHUKWUBUIKE MADU