The Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Alfred Nnaemeka Achebe, yesterday kicked off his empowerment programme for about 400 youths from the commercial city of Onitsha with a central focus on entrepreneurial skills.

Apart from entrepreneurial skills, the participants will also be empowered with soft loans to start businesses in their various areas of specialisation, including small-scale businesses.

Addressing participants during the programme at Ime Obi palace, one of the facilitators, Chief Dr. Chuma Agbakoba, enumerated some of the benefits of skill acquisition. He advised the youths to make adequate use of the opportunity by dedicating their time and energy to acquire professional skills that would enhance their well-being in future.

In his remarks, a retired Commissioner of Police, Chief Ikechukwu Ayodele Aduba, charged Onitsha youths to retrace their steps by taking full advantage of the programme offered by the revered monarch.

He noted that Onitsha has lost much of its farm lands due to increased urbanisation and advised them to embrace the wind of change by learning new skills even after their academic pursuits.

The retired police chief called on potential beneficiaries of the soft loans to avoid using such funds to engage in unnecessary pursuit of comfort as the management of the entrepreneurial programme will always have a way of identifying and punishing offenders.

The President-General, Onitsha Ado Youth Council, Hon. Patrick Agha Mba, who doubles as the major facilitator of the programme, and the member representing Onitsha North 1 constituency in the Anambra State House of Assembly, Hon. Chugbo Enwezor, both thanked the participants for attending the programme. They urged them to imbibe the spirit of discipline and remain focused throughout the duration of the training.

Both men charged the youths to vigorously pursue the entrepreneurship wind that is blowing in the community, adding that it is the latest trend of survival across the globe.

News Express reports that programme is in fulfillment of a promise which Igwe Achebe made to Onitsha youths during one of his ofala festival.

•Photo shows Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Alfred Nnaemeka Achebe.