The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has said his administration will continue to give priority attention to providing opportunities for the youths in the state to reach their potential and contribute to the state’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
The governor said this when he received members of the Youth Wing of Edo State Branch of the Christian Association of Nigeria (YOWICAN), during a courtesy visit at Government House, in Benin City.
The governor said his administration’s focus on training youths has empowered them to fend for themselves, noting that the state government would continue to create opportunities for youths to contribute productively to the state’s economy.
Obaseki tasked the group to enlighten their members to take advantage of various training opportunities in the state, adding, “We are focused on training our youths on how to use their hands. This has led us to revamp the Government Science and Technical College (GSTC), formerly Benin Technical College and also establish the Edo Innovation Hub and Edo Production Centre.
“The experiment with our Production Center on Sapele Road has worked. Two more centers will be opened in Benin City, another one will be opened in Irrua in Edo Central and another in Auchi in Edo North within the next six months.”
He tasked the group to enlighten their members to take advantage of the Production Center, the Edo Innovation Hub and other training programmes put in place by his administration to make them self-reliant.
He added that the state government is building infrastructure, developing human capacity, creating a new set of values to change the orientation among youths in the state, while offering them hope to believe in themselves as well as the country.
On the security of lives and property in the state, Governor Obaseki assured that cases of kidnapping are being tracked by security agencies with a further pledge that his government will continue to empower the security agencies in the state so that it can maintain its status as the safest state in the region.
He added “We are working hard on security. We understand the issues and are making progress to ensure the state remains safe. When it comes to crime, Edo is one of the lowest in the country but plans are on to ensure we record zero crime in the state.”
Earlier, Chairman, Edo State Chapter of YOWICAN, Rev. Phil Arojie, congratulated the governor on recent reports which showed Edo State as the best performing among states governed by the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Rev. Arojie assured the governor that the body will continue to support his administration with prayers and called for better synergy with the association to reach over two million of the association’s members in the state.
He used the occasion to invite the governor and his deputy to a prayer session organised for the state, scheduled to hold on October 1.
