Providing training and skill development opportunities to young men and women across the agricultural value chain yields numerous advantages, such as creating employment and generating income. By equipping them with the essential skills and knowledge, they are empowered to actively engage in different agricultural endeavours.
These individuals can choose to become farmers who utilise advanced techniques, agribusiness entrepreneurs involved in value addition processes, or marketers who promote agricultural products. This comprehensive approach not only enhances their own prospects but also contributes to improving food security and fostering sustainable agricultural practices.

The above was the whole idea behind the official flag-off of the five-day Imo Youth and Women Empowerment programme sponsored by Ozurigbo Ugonna (OZB) in collaboration with the Federal Corporative College , Oji River, Enugu State, as over 2000 Imo people converged at The Place Event Centre, Owerri, for accreditation before the commencement of the programme.

The initiative, which is aimed at equipping Imo youth and women with functional skills, offers training in fish farming, poultry, palm oil processing, solar energy installation, and filmmaking, as the facilitators engaged the beneficiaries and participants on the various fields where they have expertise, training their minds on entrepreneurship, self reliance, and financial independence for job creation and national productivity.

Commending Ozurigbo Ugonna for always coming up with robust and practical empowerment programmes to equip Imo people across all strata of life even when he is no longer in office, the representative of the Provost, Federal Cooperative College, Oji River, Enugu State, Mr. Chukwudi Okey Eze, saluted the leadership drive and tenacity of the former federal lawmaker for proactively attracting such large scale of training to Imo State while expressing his willingness to collaborate with like- mind individuals to ensure that Nigerian youths and women gain the requisite skills for self reliance.

Addressing the beneficiaries drawn from the 27 local government councils of Imo State, the facilitator and major sponsor of the Imo youth and women empowerment programme, Ugonna, who is the immediate past member that represented Nkwerre/Isu/Nwangele/Njaba Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, maintained that though he is successful and blessed by God but he is always lonely at the top when his people are still struggling to survive hard times.

According to him, the programe is designed to empower the participants with the vital skills needed to navigate through the agricultural value chain, solar installation and filmmaking, so as to be economically empowered instead of waiting for handouts from their relatives.

The empowerment programme which goes beyond dashing participants biscuits and sweets, howbeit, has provision for seeds capital for start-ups.

Both the beneficiaries and participants of the empowerment programme applauded Ozurigbo Ugonna (OZB) for his interventionist approach at a time when Imo people are economically stranded and looking for a direction, describing the initiative as the much needed training to cushion the effects of unemployment and bitting economic hardship, creating opportunities for self reliance and financial independence.

Among the resource persons and industry experts engaged to take the beneficiaries and participants on the various modules of the skill based empowerment programme include: Mr. Okezie C. I. -Director of Procurement at the Federal Cooperative College, Oji River, Enugu State, Chief Edward Chukwuma, Agribusiness Consultant, Mr. FCC Jones Onwuasoanya, Film Director and Movie Producer, Mr. Kingsley Agharanya and Mr. Ihemanma Nnamdi Silas.

Meanwhile, the Publisher of fourth Estate Reporters, Njoku Macdonald Obinna , has commended Chizobam .O. Chizobam , Chief Onyema Agbarakwe, Barr. Uche Dike, Hon. Chief Euguene Ohamara, Mr. Dike Philip and other organisers of the event for the massive attendance recorded during the programme.