Youth in Southern Kaduna have been charged to explore their potentials to be productive and brainstorm on ways to develop the region.

The founder of Joint Hands Initiative for Peace and Youth Empowerment, Apostle Emmanuel Egoh Bako, gave the challenge during a summit organized for youth in Fantswam Chiefdom held at the weekend in Zikpak.

Apostle Bako noted the abundant human and material resources in Southern Kaduna, especially in the area of agriculture, and urged the youth to seize every opportunity that presents itself to empower themselves economically and add value to the society they reside.

He said the time for trading blames over the backward state of the area, even as he tasked them to stick to their work ethics, and develop the capacity to solve problems so as to record progress in different fields of human endeavour.

The cleric, added that the organization will help the youth discover their hidden talents and urged them to strive for excellence in their chosen fields so as to make them unique and relevant in the scheme of things.

Earlier, the Chief Host of the summit, Elder Ishaya Darey Akau, reminded the youth to define their roles in the development of their communities and the entire region and be more proactive in coming up with innovative ideas.

Elder Akau lamented that the youth in Southern Kaduna are wallowing in poverty, and noted that they can create wealth by taking advantage of the various natural endowments of the region.

He said there was poverty of ideas on the part of the youth, who constitute the most active population, and added that they can rewrite their stories if they take their destiny in their hands.

In their separate goodwill messages, the Commissioner and Administrator, Kafanchan Municipal Authority, Mrs. Phoebe Sukai Yayi, and the member representing Jema’a Constituency in the Kaduna State House of Assembly, Mr. Ali Kalat, lauded the organizers of the summit for the initiative.

They said this and subsequent engagements will help guide the teeming youth population in Southern Kaduna onto the right track, and also fast track development.

They however, assured of their support towards youth-oriented programmes, and urged participants to shun all vices capable of derailing their future and breaching the peace.

Salama News reports that the event also featured presentations by resource persons on digital technology, agriculture, food processing, and fashion design.

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