Abia Orientation DG Urges Youths To Embrace Positive Values

The Director-General of the Abia State Orientation Agency (ABSOA), Lady Ure Abazie, has urged youths in Ohafia Local Government Area to embrace reliable information and positive values that will guide them in making informed decisions.

Lady Abazie gave the charge during a Value Orientation Programme organised by the Agency in collaboration with the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, themed “Future Ready”.

She appreciated Governor Alex Otti for paying adequate attention to the development of the state and the growth of young people, noting that youth development is essential to building an informed, responsible and progressive society.

She encouraged the youths to make good use of the knowledge gained from the programme for their personal growth and the overall development of Abia State, stressing the need to take every message conveyed seriously and apply the lessons to their daily lives.

In his remarks, the Mayor of Ohafia Local Government Area, Hon. Chief Eleanya Ojuu Kalu, commended the ABSOA for extending the value orientation initiative to the area. He described the programme as a reflection of Governor Otti’s commitment to promoting positive values among youths and highlighted some of the administration’s initiatives including TechRise and the recruitment of Orientation Ward Coordinators aimed at empowering young people.

Also speaking, the Special Assistant to the Governor on Industry and SMEs, Lady Chinwe Kanu-Uba, educated the youths on how to establish and grow successful businesses, highlighting the efforts of the Otti-led administration towards promoting small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs) and creating opportunities for business growth and youth empowerment.

Resource persons from the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), the legal profession, tertiary education, health sector, Information Technology sector and the National Orientation Agency (NOA) enlightened the youths on drug abuse, legal awareness, education, artificial intelligence, digital skills and healthy living.

The resource persons also informed participants that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had commenced the distribution of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), encouraging eligible voters to overcome voter apathy and actively participate in the electoral process, noting that voter apathy undermines citizens’ participation in democracy.