…Hon. Ozurigbo says he’s handing out equipment before training, to make a difference
By Francis Udoka Ndimkoha, Editor -in- Chief
The long-awaited 4th phase of the OZB Economic Empowerment took place Thursday, 11th November 2021 at The Place Event Centre, Owerri and was graced by dignitaries from all walks of life, who came to witness the landmark empowerment of 600 beneficiaries. These beneficiaries were carefully drawn from the Nkwerre/Isu/Nwangele/Njaba Federal Constituency, being the legislative seat which Hon. Ugonna Ozurigbo has the mandate of his people to represent. The event was chaired by Prof. Mrs Florence Emenalo.
The event also featured a keynote lecture on “Skill Acquisition: A Road Map To Economic Development,” by a Professor of Laws, Prof. Uba SF. Nnabue, the Honourable Federal Commissioner, National Population Commission, in which he urged beneficiaries to utilize this great chance to “become a new threshold for further empowerment to others.” He added that nobody ever becomes anything, without any form of empowerment, because empowerment “in its simplistic form represents authority, or power given to someone to do something.” He, therefore, commended Rt. Hon. Ugonna Ozurigbo for his passion for human capital development, in Imo State, through his private and public life.
Speaking on the occasion, the Director-General, National Directorate of Employment, Mallam Abubakar Fikpo, ably represented by Ismail Mamman hailed the commitment of Rt. Hon. Ugonna Ozurigbo and his tenacity to follow through the rigorous bureaucratic process to ensure that this empowerment programme comes true.
The State Coordinator of NDE, Mrs Ngozi Iheanacho and the Imo State Commissioner of Police, Mr Rabiu, ably represented by the Deputy Commissioner Admin, Mr Chinedu Oko as well as the empowerment planning committee chairman, Mr. Onyema Agbarakwe were unanimous in affirming that the empowerment effort of Rt. Hon. Ugonna Ozurigbo will help curb the rising wave of crime in society.
The high point of the Occasion was the charge by the chief host, Rt. Hon. Ugonna Ozurigbo, to the beneficiaries to take advantage of this unique opportunity and make the best of it. He stated that this is a different kind of skill acquisition training where equipment is given before training to enable beneficiaries to train effectively with that equipment. He recalled that he started life as an entrepreneur under an umbrella, as a GSM phone operator, in the early 2000s; a business he began with N18,000, alongside his girlfriend, then, who is his wife and mother of his 5 children, today, Lolo Ijeoma Ozurigbo.
Beneficiaries were drawn from various skills and equipped according to skill. They include business skills like digital marketing, entrepreneurship development etc. Creative skills like video and music production, writing, translation etc. Domestic skills like fashion and designing, painting, tailoring, jewellery production, baking, catering, hairdressing and make up etc. Computer skills like programming, software, operations, repairs and maintenance etc. Agricultural skills like crop production, poultry, snailry, fishery, etc. And above all, technical skills like plumbing, masonry, Aluminium/metal works, electrical installations etc.
