John Nwaigwe
Senator Akobundu Reiterates Commitment to Youth Empowerment at New Ohanaeze Youth Council Thanksgiving Mass
Senator Austin Akobundu has reiterated his commitment to the empowerment of youths as a panacea to the myriad of social vices confronting them.
Akobundu stated this on Sunday, July 20, 2025, during the reception held by the newly elected executives of Ohanaeze Youth Council, (the apex socio-cultural organisation of Igbo youths) Abia State Chapter, after their Thanksgiving Mass at Mater Dei Cathedral, Umuahia.
The Thanksgiving Mass, which was presided over by the Catholic Bishop of Umuahia Diocese, Most Rev. Dr Michael Ukpong attracted dignitaries from across the state, including government officials, political stakeholders, the clergy, youth leaders, and others.
In his homily, the Bishop urged the youths to be good ambassadors of the state wherever they go and urged them to lead with love, honesty, and integrity.
While delivering his speech at the reception that followed the Mass, Senator Austin Akobundu who was represented by Sir Tony Ezebuiro emphasised on the need for leaders to make youths a focus of their leadership and invest significantly in them by empowering them with life-changing skills. He stressed that such empowerment has the capacity of turning them from job seekers to entrepreneurs and employers of labour.
Senator Akobundu who used the opportunity to reiterate his commitment to the welfare of the people including the youths, reeled out his free empowerment and skills acquisition programmes to include award of scholarships to selected undergraduates, sponsorship of several of them to be trained as teachers at the prestigious National Teachers’ Institute (NTI), sponsorship of free trainings in engineering and digital skills in the areas of engineering and robotics, UI/UX Design, Web Design, Professional Graphics Design, Cyber Security Systems and Operations, Digital Marketing, Forex Trading, Software Development and Data Science.
Other areas of empowerment he mentioned included training of youths in fashion design, farming, paint making, and cosmetics manufacturing, with free distribution of sewing machines, start-up kits, and cash award to the participants.
Other engagements with the youths, as highlighted by the senator, were the capacity building programmes on peace, conflict management, and resolution, which also involved the traditional institution, women, and town union leaders.
Senator Akobundu commended the new leaders of OYC for starting their tenure with God through the Thanksgiving Mass and urged them to make Him their guide in all they do. He also urged them not to leave politics and culture for other demogfaphies of society but that they should participate fully in them as ways of ensuring that their interests are further protected. He expressed his readiness to work closely with them, saying his doors were always open whenever they needed to engage closely with him.
Earlier in their letter to the Senator, signed by the Chairman, Comrade Eugene C. Okonta JP and Secretary, Comrade Mbanaso Benedict Onyekachi, the Ohanaeze Youth Council, Abia State Chapter, said they had “drawn so many inspiration from your numerous policies and programmes which served as key motivation that saw to the success of this first ever state convention/election of Ohanaeze Youth Council, and the entire OYC Abia State Chapter, is so delighted to have you as a Distinguished Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
On his part, Sir Tony Ezebuiro made his sprawling event centre in Umuahia South LGA available for the Council whenever they need it for their events. He urged them to shun all manner of vices and remain good ambassadors of the state.
Other dignitaries present at the occasion are Wife of the Governor of Abia State, Mrs Priscilla Otti, represented by Chief Mrs Ifeoma Thomas, Special Assistant to the Executive Governor on Vulnerable Groups and Poverty Alleviation, former Member of the Federal House of Representatives, Chief Sam Onuigbo who was represented by Evangelist Abraham Osondu, among others.
