ONE of the major societal problems in Nigeria today is Youth unemployment. Thousands of graduates of our universities including those who studied abroad are roaming the streets in search of none existent jobs. With the dwindling revenue profile of the Federal government, the situation becomes more critical and worrisome, as the various skills acquisition programmes of the Federal and State governments cannot be adequately funded.

There is nothing as frustrating for both parents and the graduates themselves that, after many years of toiling day and night in tertiary institutions and emerging, successfully to spend many more years seeking employment. This is the sad situation in present day Nigeria. Any individual or organisation therefore that attempts to find a solution to this recurrent malaise in our society should be embraced with open arms and supported overwhelmingly by our teeming youths. One of such non-governmental organisations that is making serious impact in this direction in Enugu State and environs is the Ikeoha Foundation founded about 15 years ago by Rt. Hon. Ike Ekweremadu CFR, the Deputy Senate President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The Foundation has impacted positively on humanity in several aspects – infrastructural development, educational development through scholarship awards and bursaries, health outreach, various youth empowerment and skills acquisitionprogrammed etc.

For instance, the Foundation has commenced the training of 700 youths in Information and Communication Technology, ICT. During the flag off of the project, Senator Ekweremadu noted that the training is part of his vision to harness the potentials of the young people to make them self-reliant and drivers of the country. According to him “ The philosophy behind the training is that since God has given us the opportunity and privilege to support and help others, we will neither be doing any good to ourselves nor fulfilling the ends of that opportunity if we don’t avail to our teeming youths the opportunity to excel and be better than what we are today”.

He assured that the five national youth development centres, which he attracted to the five local governments of the Enugu West Senatorial District, would soon take off. Similarly the Deputy Senate President has given out 22.350 million naira as scholarship and bursary grants to 525 students from Enugu state for the 2013 — 2014 academic sessions.

The grant was made, during the Ikeoha Foundation Adult Literacy day. A breakdown of the grant shows that 25 students got N500,000 as scholarship awards, while 83 students each from the five LGAs in Enugu West senatorial district as well as 80 students from Enugu North and Igboeze got N30,000 each as bursary awards. According to him “Today we renew our commitment to fight illiteracy in Enugu state and Nigeria and I am happy that we are winning this war. I am certain that we would conquer illiteracy. We will conquer poverty and we will conquer ignorance “.

He also announced that the Federal government has awarded a N986 million contract for the construction of the Greater Oji River Water Project,to supply water to every home in Oji River Local Government Area of Enugu state.  The Senator said he attracted the water project to help address the water needs of the people permanently, noting that it was regrettable that Oji River, which was the source of water for Enugu Township had no potable water. He explained that many borehole dug in the area could solve the water challenge in Oji River and therefore, came up with a new project, which would provide water everywhere in Oji River and environs. He disclosed that the project had been designed and awarded, and that work will start very soon.

Youths for Ikeoha also see the construction of a ‘National Youth Development Centre in Ngwo communityin Enugu North Local Government area, of Enugu state, sprawling over eight hectares of land as a landmark project that will up lift the youths and train them in various skills.Already the project is completed and still awaiting commissioning and operationalisation. It will offer self-acquisition skills on carpentry, welding, mechanical works, fashion designing and hair styling etc. for several jobless youths roaming the streets in search of white-collar jobs that rarely exists. The centre is being built in each of the five local government areas that make up Enugu West senatorial district. Senator Ekweremadu further announced recently that he has been working towards the establishment of a Federal Polytechnic, to be sited in these natorial district.

It is projects like the Ikeoha foundation that distinguished politicians are noted for and remembered by, long after they are gone. The impact of the programme and activities of Ikeoha foundation in Enuguwest senatorial district are very far reaching. Therefore, it is the responsibility of every youth in the area to make the Foundation succeed and make society better. We cannot all wait for and look to the Government to do everything for us.

Worthy projects like the Ikeoha Foundation go a long way to meet society’s needs.

Mr. Ikenna Nwandu, a  social critic, wrote from Enugu, Enugu State.