As part of efforts to discourage youths from vices, NUMO farms, an integrated agribusiness enterprise established by Sen. Athan Achonu, has empowered Imo youths with business startup grants worth over N10m.
The empowerment took place at the 2024 Mbano Youths Summit, organized by the Mbano Big Family, with support from NUMO farms and other partners, in Owerri, on Monday.
Presenting the grants to beneficiaries, Achonu, who is Chief Executive Officer of NUMO farms and candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 Imo governorship election, said the grants were intended “to get the youths busy “.
Achonu, represented by the Farm Manager, Mr Chibuikem Diala, said that the grants were aimed at reducing insecurity and social vices in the locality and boosting the productivity of Mbano youths in areas of skill acquisition and entrepreneurship.
“ We’re carrying out this youth empowerment to reduce insecurity in the area because insecurity is largely caused by unemployed people so we urge the beneficiaries to rightly invest the money given to them so that the grant can reach other members of the locality in the next phases.
“ The beneficiaries must ensure that they invest the money and employ people from the area while making sure their businesses are good so that people can get a better life from it “, Achonu said.
Speaking on the theme, “Cracking the Code “, Convener of the summit, Mr Magnus Agbakwo expressed hope that the event would convince youths to stay away from social vices while solidly establishing them to be self employed and reliant rather than depend on ‘crumbs’ from politicians.
“ We want to build youths who have a vision, youths who are enlightened, confident, hopeful and serious-minded to advance their careers, engagements and better their lives.
“ We are here to teach the youths the sure ways to develop their businesses, how businesses operate, and to lead them to reach out to their target audience and make ends meet “, he said.
He noted that the beneficiaries would undergo a one-month mentorship after which a monitoring team would be assigned to guide and assess their growth for three months.
The summit featured panel discussion sessions to dissect nagging questions around affiliate marketing, niche carving, business establishment and business management as well as small and medium enterprise funding, with highlights on self-training and development in the areas of fashion, agriculture and entertainment.
Also speaking, the Imo Commissioner for Youth Development and Talent Hunt, Dr. Emeka Mandela, advised the youths to embrace and invest in the business trends and to develop, convert and monetize their online talking skills by spreading business messages on social media.
Earlier in a keynote address, seasoned industrialist and marketing professional, Mr Chijioke Elvis-Ceejay, urged the participants to ensure they initiate skills that would roundly ‘Crack the Code’ of business and make ends meet for them, outside their professional areas. Our correspondent reports that the beneficiaries got grants for entrepreneurship and business startups; food packaging and export; creative and cultural industries among other areas.
