Umuahia: Enelamah applauds as Premier Club plans N250m intervention
By Ifeanyi Nwoko
The Minister of Industry Trade and Investment, Okechukwu Enelamah has commended the Umuahia Premier Club for its planned N250 million intervention in Education, Healthcare and skills development.
Enelamah who hails from Umuahia disclosed this while delivering a speech at the Induction, Fund Raising and Awards Ceremony organized by the club with the theme: “Raising 21St Century Leaders in Umuahia”.
The minister commended the club for particularly seeking to intervene in the three cardinal areas stressing that any intervention in education, healthcare and skills acquisition would go a long way in addressing the challenges of a people.
“I have known Umuahia Premier Club to be a Socio-cultural organization that is always in the business of improving the socioeconomic wellbeing of Umuahians.
“I am, therefore, not surprised that this gathering is geared towards the three cardinal principles needed in every society that wishes to eradicate poverty and provide leaders of tomorrow.
“In a society where education is held sacrosanct, where the state of health of the populace is taken paramount and where entrepreneurship flourishes within the youth, the hope of a brighter tomorrow can be better imagined.
“Umuahia Premier Club is one of the foremost clubs in the country it is known for championing the cause of the masses and the downtrodden in the society.
“The theme for the event which is “Raising 21St Century Leaders in Umuahia” is apt and relevant as we need to consciously raise future leaders who would key into the vision of present leaders.
“Having more entrepreneurs in our community would have the desired impact on our community that may likely produce the likes of Bill ’Gates and the Dangotes of this world. These great men became great leaders of the world through their entrepreneurial skills and development. I, therefore whole heartedly commend the UPC for this giant stride in planning to raise quality leaders for our great community of Umuahia in the 21st century.,” he said.
Enelamah who was also an award recipient said that the vision and plan of the club also aligned with that of the Federal Government to promote entrepreneur capacities of our teeming youth.
Speaking earlier, the Nationa Chairman of the Club, Nnanna Ochiugo urged members of the club to be generous in giving and the project before them was a very important one.
Throwing more light on the project to be executed, Ochiugo said that the three areas chosen for intervention were very key to the development of Umuahia.
“This amount we are raising now is the first phase of the total sum of N650 million we we plan to raise and carry out some intervention programmes in Umuahia.
“We have three main local governments: we want to establish schools, vocational centres, health centres as well as equip existing schools and health facilities.
“This would boost the infrastructural base of these communities and empower our youths. We hope to establish a modern hospital in all three local governments,” he said.
He stressed that the club was for only middle class persons from Umuahia.
The Chairman of the occasion, Dr Nelson Uwaga however cautioned members of the club to ensure they did their best in instilling the cultures, tradition and the language of Umuahia in their children.
He expressed fear that being an elite club, many of its members would have their children schooling abroad and if they are not grounded in the language and culture, they soon lose their roots.
He advised the igos generally to borrow a leaf from the yorubas who no matter how widely travelled still retain their culture of respect and their language.
A total of 12 new members were inducted into the Premier Club.
