From Tina Ezin, Calabar
A religious group, Brotherhood of the Cross and Star (BCS) has budgeted about N46,950,000 to train youths in entrepreneurship, sport and education for the period of five years.
The Leader, Olumba Olumba Obu made this known during a media briefing to mark the commencement of the 2021 Brotherhood All Youths Assembly (BAYA) convection in Calabar.
He stated this through his spokesman, Patriarch Christ Shepherd Edet Archibong, noting that the empowerment programme is one of the numerous activities for the youths convention scheduled to hold from September 13 to 19, 2021.
Archibong stated that the forum is used to reach out to youths and inculcate in them the ideals of God and at the same time, get them gainfully engaged.
He added, ” the establishment of BAYA is a laudable achievement particularly at this period that the society is faced with a plethora of challenges, even as it is constantly plagued by the collapse of religion and moral values, deepening racial division, ethnic conflicts, alarming rate of drug abuse and frightening level of violence among the youths.
“With little reorientation of the minds of the youths, towards embracing entrepreneur ventures, it targeted to empower not fewer than 230 with multiplier effect of generating jobs for another 2,150 youths at the cost of about N46,950,000.
” When the youths are gainfully engaged in positive things, they will not become ready tools in the hands of evil people and enemies of the society.”
He said this year, about 70 youths from 10 states been trained in agriculture, specifically organic farming.
The spokesman explained that the following states; Abia, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Enugu, Kaduna, Kogi and Rivers indicated interest and were selected for training in organic farming such as fish hatching and rearing, mushrooms and Pepper.
Others include; fluted pumpkin, okro and tomatoes cropping, adding that starter packs were provided for the trainees to enable them put their skills to use.
Archibong explained that the sector was consciously chosen because of its inherent capacity to create wealth and improve the living standard of youths through job and income generation.
He said the Enterprise Council with a mandate, developed a blueprint to provide a comprehensive plan for the empowerment of BCS youths for the period of five years.
“this will be spent within the next five years. The plan has earmarked the floatation of programmes different areas such as agriculture, education, entertainment, broadcasting as well as sports. This programmes will be implemented from 2021 to 2025 respectively”
