Governor Adams Oshiomhole says Edo State Government will render adequate support to groups and individuals involved in keeping the youths occupied positively as this would reduce the crime rate in the country.
Speaking yesterday during a courtesy visit of a United States-based group, Access to Success, Oshiomhole said part of the problem in the country is unemployment.
According to him, “part of the problem in Nigeria today like you have in America is the problem of youth unemployment and because the youths are idle, some of them resort to crime and some other activities which is quite dysfunctional.”
According to him “anything that will keep them busy and keep them thinking to encourage them to recognise there is a future and seeing people like you they will imagine that they also can overcome the poverty trap.
“It takes some level of passion to assist those in need and to share your life experiences and empower others. For you to come back home and want to give back to society, I appreciate this.
“As a state government we will do anything within our competence to sustain your effort to see that it is sustained,”
He noted that “the primary reason for seeking office is to use political power to allocating resources in a way that will impact on the greatest number of citizens and you coming from Edo state knows what the story is and how we have been neglected for long under previous military rules and the first set of civilian governments.
“I came from a background of advocacy, mobilising the people against public authority on good governance and democracy, bottom up approach to policy formulation and for me it is a rare opportunity to have the executive powers to try and translate and do those things I agitated for.
“We have restored integrity in our schools, we have made substantial investment in Education, investments in urban renewal, working on drainages and flood control,” he noted.
Earlier, the team leader of Access to Success, Mr. Andrew Lovedale disclosed that there are three hundred youths participating in a free coaching clinic for basketball players in Edo State.
“I was born here, not born into a family of means, I went to Edo College, I remember trekking from Sakponba road all the way to Aduwawa to get my WAEC registration. I know what the kids right now are benefiting in the state. I want to say thank you, since I was born we have never seen anything like this and living abroad and hearing the good news from people, when you are doing a good job you don’t have to go out to blow your trumpet, as there are people who will sound it for you. A lot of people living abroad know about the things you are doing for the state and we really appreciate it,” he noted.
According to him, “Access to Success was founded in the United States of America, and having the platform of basket ball, I was able to found this organization through which we are now reaching out to kids who are not privileged in Benin City.”
