The Rivers State Government says it is putting measures in place to create an environment conducive for job creation as a way of reducing crime to a bearable level.
The State Commissioner for Youth Development, Mr. Tobin Akuro, said that the creation of an enabling environment for the provision of job opportunities remained the best way to fight crime to a standstill.
Akuro pointed out that it was difficult to fight crime successfully by only arresting and punishing criminals, adding that job creation was a sure way of engaging the youths and make them stay away from kidnapping, armed robbery and other crimes.
He spoke during the commencement of the training of 1,000 youths in relevant skills in Information Technology and agriculture organised in Port Harcourt by the Foundation for Partnership Initiatives in Niger Delta in conjunction with nine partners.
Represented at the event by the Director, Administration, Rivers State Ministry of Youth Development, Mr. Godspower Ordu, the commissioner said, “Rivers State is working hard to provide an enabling environment for job creation as a means of reducing crime.
“You cannot stop crime alone by arresting and punishing offenders. When you create jobs, it is a way of ensuring that the youths are engaged and when the youths are engaged, crime is reduced.
“The youths should open their eyes to opportunities in the state; the youths should not feel that there are no opportunities for them.
“This is a pilot programme and we want the youths to utilise this opportunity very well so that more youths will come up and in the process, unemployment will be reduced.”
In his remarks, the Executive Director of the foundation, Dr. Dara Kala, said beneficiaries of the training programme were drawn from Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Abia states.
