Onofiok Luke charges CYDPAN to keep the vision alive: Non-Governmental Organization, Centre for Young People Development and Poverty Alleviation (CYDPAN) has emerged in Akwa Ibom State, CYDPAN which had its inaugural ceremony in Uyo last weekend, was an assemblage of academia, political class and young people across the State.
Speaking in his opening speech, the Centre Director of CYDPAN, Mr. Robert Boniface said that CYDPAN is poised to create an enabling environment for innovation to flourish, for the culture of entrepreneurship to be intelligently fostered, for repatriation to the original business of Agriculture, where youths become pioneers of modernized production processes towards a restored and poverty alleviated society.
He pointed out that poverty has been an obstacle to the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and has affected many facets of human life, most especially the physical, moral and psychological conditions of young people. Hence, the NGO will ensure that the menace of poverty is tackled through engaging young people in skills acquisitions and subsequent empowerments.
Member representing Etinan/Nsit Ibom/Nsit Ubium Federal Constituency at the National Assembly, Barr. Onofiok Luke Represented by his Media Aid, Mr. Aniekan Udofia unveiling CYDPAN Logo 
Member representing Etinan/Nsit Ibom/Nsit Ubium Federal Constituency at the National Assembly, Barr. Onofiok Luke Represented by his Media Aid, Mr. Aniekan Udofia inaugurating CYDPAN team members
Speaking while officially inaugurating CYDPAN, the member representing Etinan/Nsit Ibom/Nsit Ubium Federal Constituency at the National Assembly, Barr. Onofiok Luke, commended the Director of CYDPAN Mr. Robert Boniface for piloting the vision to pull young people out of poverty. He said that the need to promote the living standard of the people was his driving force to joining politics; and upon realizing that his goal will not be realized in a shortest possible time, he decided to use his personal resources to help the poor to the best of his ability.
Represented by his Media Aid, Mr. Aniekan Udofia, Barr. Luke encouraged CYDPAN to remain focused and resolute, in order to keep the vision of the organization alive.
The Guest Speaker at the event, Dr. Richard Ajah noted that poverty defines the vulnerability of African Youth s in Nigeria and has become a global phenomenon that emerges from the dearth of opportunity, dearth of infrastructural, limited access to basic social services, delayed educational system, impaired social values, mentor-turned-tormentor syndrome and many others. He therefore harped on the need for young people to have a mindset re-orientation, unsetting old approach to youth development towards a poverty alleviated society.
The University Don expressed optimism that if lilies can grow in the mire, young people can be alleviated from the poverty of their immediate society through orientation in their mental, morals, perspectives, policies, reward systems and rehabilitation programmes. Other speakers at the event included the Commissioner for Information, Barr. Iniobong Ememobong who was represented by the Director of Information, Mr. James Edet; the Commissioner for women Womwn Affairs, Mrs. Ini Adiakpan who was represented by th Director for Social Welfare, Mrs. Mary Atan as well as the special Assistant to Governor Udom Emmanuel on Small and Medium Scale Entrepreneurs. Mrs. Janet Amba. High point of the event was the organization’s Logo to signal the inauguration of Centre of Young People Development & Poverty Alleviation (CYDPAN).
