Church Stage Education Fair For Over 6000 Persons
As part of measures to empower the youths with vocational skills the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has embarked on a one day Education Fair with about 6,000 participants comprising members and non members of the church.
The exhibition,which is one of the empowerment programmes of the church,was targeted at exposing participants members to some basic vocational skills for income generation in order to avoid endless wait for white collar job.
The programme constitute a cardinal feature of the church and in tandem with the Church's strong belief in education, which it says, is a commandment from God to man.
Speaking while inaugurating the fair in Calabar, the Calabar Nigeria Stake President, Alex Nkoro, maintained that “the essence was for us to educate their members and their friends on the importance of imbibing education and skills.
"For them to acquire education, we have invited specialists from Ghana, Lagos and outside the continent to help people become self reliant both spiritually and temporarily",
He enumerated the package on offer to include, "emotional resilience classes where they can learn how to manage their emotions so that they can be mentally sound in the things they do.
“We also have Seminary and Institute which boils down to spiritual self reliance where they learn the gospel of Jesus Christ and other programmes. Others has to do with skills acquisition like baking, pastry, computer repairs and maintenance, graphics, among others."
In his remarks, the Calabar Nigeria North State President, Ekong Akwaowo, said the target population are members of the Calabar North Stake, Calabar Stake and Calabar South Stake and at least 6,000 persons including non-members are expected to benefit from the programme.
Also speaking, Samuel Ukoha, the Calabar Nigeria South Stake President revealed that the church floated the fair to promote the spirit of enterprise and self reliance among members and non-members
On his part, Samuel Egbala, the Permanent Secretary, Cross River State Ministry of Youths and Skills Acquisition, Sam Egbala said "if there is anything we can do for our youths, it is skills acquisition," adding that government will continue to partner with the church in the area of skills acquisition.
Alhaji Shabaan Abdullahi, the Secretary of the Muslim Community in Cross River State described the event as "very important for the youths and advised them to always make the most of any opportunity they have to learn."
Dignitaries at the event include Tamara Edi Dadson, a Family Services Specialist and Eleazor U.Ikpegbu and S&I Online Department BYU, Uyo Zone Leader, Charles A. Adebayo,the Regional Welfare & Self- Reliance Manager and Brother Victor Ukorebi, the International Area Manager for Africa West of BYU-Pathway Worldwide.
Others are Christian Onovughe, Welfare and Self-Reliance Manager, Uyo Coordinating Council and William Boakye, Perpetual Education Fund loans Specialist also participated in the fair.
