On Benue’s youth empowerment programme

THE  plan of the Benue State governor, Samuel Ortom, to empower youths in the state is a good one.

However, distributing wheelbarrows to the youths cannot empower them in any way.

It will rather kill their dreams and hopes of becoming medical doctors, great scientists, attorneys, and many more. It is true that wheelbarrows can facilitate domestic activities and aid farmers in carrying their farm produce home in areas where vehicles cannot be driven, but the construction of roads leading to the farm areas is a better idea.

Youths should be given an enabling environment in the state to enable them to excel in their various fields rather than buying wheelbarrows for them which cannot take them anywhere close to their dreams.

It is very unfortunate that since the return of democracy in the country and Benue State in particular, the people of the state have not been allowed to choose what they want.

Rather, their leaders continue to impose on them things that have nothing to do with their progress and destiny.

The governor is owing up to six months’ salaries and allowances   of workers in the state and it will be more important to channel the funds meant for the purchase of wheelbarrows to the payment of the outstanding salaries and allowances of the workers in the state.

In 2015, Benue people were tired of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) administration in the state and needed something new. Because of that, those who sought leadership positions under the then opposition party, All Progressives Congress (APC), were given the opportunity to become leaders, to see if they could make things better in the state.

Many candidates who seemed to be good but contested under the PDP lost their elections because PDP was considered a dead party in the state.

Looking at the way things are going, it is now obvious that the majority of the Benue citizens are regretting their decision and wishing that the 2019 general elections arrive quickly so that they can correct their mistake.

I must say that the decision to buy and share out wheelbarrows to youths in the state as part of the youth empowerment programme of the state government is a wrong one and cannot be applauded.

Awunah Terwase,

Mpape, Abuja.