Youths from Ikole-Ekiti in Ikole Local Government Area of Ekiti have urged Gov. Kayode Fayemi to create empowerment programmes for them to cushion the effects of unemployment.

According to the youth, most of them have no money to establish good businesses. Tolulope Olanipekun, who said that he graduated two years ago from the University of Ibadan, noted that he learnt tailoring but could not raise money to buy industrial sewing machines.

Olanipekun stated that some of them who were graduates but were not gainfully employed were ready to learn various vocations if the state government would empower them.

Faith Ajayi urged the state governor to improve the standard of living of youths through empowerment, to enable them to become employers of labour.

According to her, she is interested in trading and cake baking, adding that her parents cannot support her financially to set up her own business.

“I want to urge Dr Kayode Fayemi to assist the youth in Ikole-Ekiti, by creating an empowerment programme for us.

“I am aware that everybody cannot be government workers, but we want the state government to assist us with funds to start our own businesses,” he said.

Another youth in the town, Biodun Ibitoye, said he required financial assistance from the state government to acquire some tools to improve his furniture business.

Oni condemns killing of farmers in Ekiti

“As a furniture maker, I need more machines to make my work beautiful and with the intervention of the state government through empowerment programme, my problem will be solved.”

Ibidun Omoniyi, who is into bead making and hairdressing, said that she needed financial assistance to start her business.

Omoniyi, however, blamed inflation for the increase in the prices of commodities, raw materials and machines, thus militating against setting up her own business.

She appealed to the governor to empower the youth in the town with start-up capital to enable them to start their own businesses.