Dipo Olowookere
By Obinna Akukwe
Israeli investors and business leaders who attended the South East Youth Economic Summit (SEYES) have promised to assist in the development of Igbo land if the government gives them the much needed support.
This was contained in the speech delivered by Dr Kaspi Yoram at the South East Youth Economic Summit first day event.
Dr Kaspi said that “Israelis are interested in helping establish businesses that will create employment in the South East, including skills transfer but the government has to give them the support to be able to do that”
The well attended event, which commenced on Wednesday at the Dome, New Haven, in Enugu, kick started with programme overview on why the economic summit delivered by Rev Obinna Akukwe, Director General, Igbo Mandate Congress (IMC).
Rev Akukwe said that the coming of the Israelis is purely for economic purposes and asked the youth “to leverage on the world class advantages the Israelis have in areas ICT, agriculture, solar power technology, global skills accounting and entrepreneurial prowess to become Africa’s leaders in these areas and reduce unemployment in Igbo land”.
The Chairman of the occasion and former Minister of Power, Professor Chinedu Nebo told the participants that the youth are the bedrock of the economy and they should learn new skill that will make them relevant on the economic market.
He described the Israelis as world class technologists in many fields and asked the participants to: do everything within their reach to grab as much awareness as possible.”
Father of the Day and former Governor of Anambra State, Dr Chukwuemeka Ezeife said that the summit is all about developing the South East. Dr Ezeife also posited that “if a tiny Israel can convert the desert to a place of wonder, then the same thing can be replicated in Alaigbo”.
He told the audience that there is no political power without economic power.
Former Israeli Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Ishak Oren, in his goodwill message, asked the participants to partner with Israel to develop the economic potentials of the region.
Mrs Perl Dora Anat, an Israeli agriculturist spoke on facts about Israel and emphasized that the South East of Nigeria has all the advantages in terms of climate, water and human resources, and has the capacity for great industrial expansion.
Perl Dvora Anat listed all the advantages the Israelis have attained technologically in the areas of agriculture and water resources and expressed hope that these are applicable in Nigeria with the coming of the Israelis.
Dr David Day taught on the Jewish entrepreneurial spirit which had made their businesses last for many years. He also expressed hope that the Igbos of the South East will rise to the occasion and lead the industrialization of Africa.
The President of Diamond Youth Transformation Initiative, organizers of the event, Ambassador Uchechukwu Ekpere Paul, in his opening remarks, said that the summit is aimed at speedy industrialization of the South East.
He asked the participants to make good use of the visiting Israeli expertise to improve on the well-being of the South East.
