Mr Frank Ilaboya, the Chairman of Owan West Local Government Council, Edo says the Council has concluded plans to launch a Youth Foundation that will positively engage the youths in the local government

Ilaboya in an interview on Sunday said the initiative is to help empower youths and engage them in productive activities to better their lives.

He said the aftermath of the #EndSARS protest shown that there was need to roll out a package for the youths.

“The foundation will raise one hundred million naira in three years (2021-2023) and this will be used to engage the youths of the council positively.

“In fact, our target is for Owan West sons and daughters to contribute the sum of five thousand naira per annum. This will give us N25m in the first year, N35m and N40m in the subsequent years.

“Outside this, we are coming out with a by law that will enable the council contribute one per cent of its monthly allocation to the fund.

“We are also looking to partner with corporate organisations and Foundations which are into youth empowerments for support.

“We are very determined to see it through, especially now that the youths have spoken loud and clear.

“The #EndSARS protest is a wake up call, and time to act is now. For us in Owan West, this package is a divine response to the youth agitation and I am very positive that it will sell.

“However, we have identified three categories of  beneficiaries; those who have finished Universities will be deployed to schools to teach or serve as Administrative Officers.

” Also, those with learned skills will be empowered to start their own businesses while those in school will enjoy one form of bursary or the other,” he said

According to the award winning chairman it is a win win package that will answer all the questions that disturb our youths.

He explained that from April next year when disbursement to beneficiaries will start, their worries will be over adding that Owan West will be the envy of other local governments in the federation.