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By Festus Ahon, ASABA

CHAIRMAN of Asaba Development Union Worldwide, ADUWW, Youths Investment Trust Fund Committee, Mr Fred Okonta has said N100 million is being targted to empower 500 youths as part of efforts to combat youths unemployment in Asaba.

Okonta who stated this during the maiden empowerment program of the union in Asaba, said: “This committee was set up by the President of ADUWW, Prof. Epiphany Azinge in addressing youth restiveness.

“We are targeting N100 million to empower over 500 youths who are from Asaba; have business in Asaba. This is an intervention fund for Asaba indigenes.

“The rate of unemployment is very high in the country, so the union decided to assist the government and encourage the youths to set up business in a bid to reduce the problem of unemployment.

“This is the maiden edition where we trained 100 youths in the capacity building yesterday and today we are empowering over five youths out of 13 youths that we visited their business places.

“The empowerment will be on regular basis; no academic criteria to access the fund but base on vocation with an average age of 40 years.

“The union is partnering with National Directorate of Employment, NDE, NEXIM bank, ITF in area of capacity building, monitoring and evaluation and showcasing business opportunity.

“The union has reached out to all cooperate organizations operating in Asaba to key into the youths empowerment programme”, calling on well-meaning individuals and other organizations in Asaba to assist in taking youths out from the streets.