Fides Media Living the Faith
By Jude Atupulazi
25 youths from communities in Aguata Federal Constituency have received digital skills, as well as one brand new laptop each, to enable them to deploy the skills they acquired for self-realization.
The two-day training which centered on Computer Programming and Data Processing, was made available to the youths by the member representing Aguata Federal Constituency in the National Assembly, Engr Dom Okafor, in collaboration with Industrial Arbitration Panel, Abuja.
The benefitting youths were drawn from the 20 wards in Aguata Federal Constituency.
At the end of the training which took place at the Aguata Local Government Secretariat, Ekwulobia, the youths were presented with a laptop each, courtesy of the Federal Lawmaker, as well as N5,000 cash support for their transportation.
The training is coming barely two months after the lawmaker was inaugurated into the 10th National Assembly.
Presenting the laptops to the beneficiaries after the successful completion of the training, Hon Okafor disclosed that the beneficiaries were youths selected across various fields and who had been adjudged to be proactive and could escalate the knowledge garnered to their various communities.
According to him, the target was to empower the youths with 21st Century enablements in the area of technology to enable them to fulfill their life ambitions.
‘The world is a global village and ICT is the next big thing. Across various spheres of human endeavour, ICT knowledge is very important because of how it can help youths to be creative.
‘I have been a member of the Rotary Club for over 20 years and in the club, I learned impactful living. As a President of Rotary Club of Port Harcourt in 2012, I was adjudged the best because of the things I did then.
‘That is what I want to replicate in the representation of the people of Aguata this time around at the Green Chamber,’ he said.
The lawmaker expressed satisfaction with what he saw during the training, expressing the hope that youths had all it took to lead the digital revolution in the constituency.
Congratulating the beneficiaries for successfully completing the programme, Hon Okafor encouraged them to make the utmost use of the opportunity and to take the knowledge to their constituencies.
‘It pains me when I see the amount of man hours our people spend on social media, doing irrelevant things instead of being productive with the internet.
‘So I encourage you to utilize the knowledge you have garnered during this training and explore further. Do not sell these laptops you were given today but ensure that you use them to empower yourselves because there is so much you can do with these equipment,’Okafor admonished.
Earlier in his remarks, the Transition Committee Chairman for Aguata LGA, Dr Chibueze Of or buike, said the initiative by Engr Okafor was what the people needed from their representatives, adding that youths were beginning to feel the impact of his representation.
For her part, the Head of ICT of the partnering firm, Theresa Chinaza-Bamiyo, said the decision to engage the youths was the key motivation for them, assuring that they would continue to provide the expertise required to see the initiative through.
A stakeholder in the area, Dame Chinyere Mbakwe, a member of the Board of ASUBEB representing Private Schools, said with what was happening in the constituency, the youths would be tech-savvy, noting that the future was bright for the constituency.
She commended Hon Okafor for starting off on a firm footing immediately upon assumption of office, stressing that his disposition was clear evidence that the votes of Aguata people were not misplaced.
An ICT expert, Kennis Maduka, who was a resource person/instructor at the training, stressed the need to follow up the beneficiaries to ensure that they did not have any challenges deploying the knowledge they acquired.
In their separate remarks, some of the beneficiaries expressed appreciation to Engr Okafor for the opportunity to be empowered with digital skills and promised to use the knowledge garnered to strive towards self-actualization.