The Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) has urged youths in Imo to embrace non-oil exports for economic survival.
Director-General of the NEPC, Dr Ezra Yakusak, made the appeal at a sensitisation workshop on non-oil exports for youths in Owerri.
The programme was organised by the Council, in collaboration with Noblegoal Community Development Initiative (NCDI), a non governmental organisation on Wednesday.
Yakusak, represented by NEPC’s Trade Promotion Advisor in Imo, Mr Anthony Ajuruchi, advised the youth to take advantage of the Council’s youth-friendly programmes such as the Youth Export Development Programme (YEXDEP).
He added that the programme was aimed at helping youths to embrace non-oil exports “as jobs are hard to secure and crude oil has failed as a major revenue base for the nation”.
” Having watched with passion, the abundance of resourceful Imo youths, the NEPC, in collaboration with the NCDI, deemed it necessary to sensitise Imo youths to non-oil exports.
” The NEPC will continue to educate and assist youths in the capacities permitted by the Act establishing us, to ensure that the number of youth entrepreneurs venturing into exports, keeps increasing,” he said.
Director-General of NCDI Princewill Duru advised the youth to desist from fraudulent means of making money and embrace legitimate means such as exportation.
He added that the NGO was prepared to assist youths who had exportable products with preservation and processing of the products.
He thanked the NEPC for “a healthy partnership” and pledged his commitment to continued collaboration for the overall good of Nigerians.
One of the participants, Mr Chukwudi Obidike, thanked the organisers of the programme and pledged to further sensitise youths in his community.
