Igbo Technician Volunteers To Train Youths Free To Curb Unemployment, Crimes

Festus Eze, chief executive of FestuJames company, says he would gladly train willing youths in repairing and reconstructing refrigerators without charges to curb crimes and unemployment in the land.

Eze, whose workshop is located at Obollo-Afor, Udenu local government area of Enugu State, said aside refurbishing foreign refrigerators and constructing local ones, his company also does chillers, air-conditioners, washing machines, fans, electric stoves and pressing irons, among others.

He told THE WHISTLER that, “We transform our products to suit our people. I attest that our products are better than their original forms. Ours suit our climate.”

Eze said he learnt the trade in Enugu many years ago, and blamed lack of patience and get-rich-syndrome on the increasing quackery in the technical sector.

In his words, “I stayed many years before relocating to Obollo-Afor to establish my business. I source my materials from old refrigerators, and also purchase some from markets.

“If Nigeria has functional iron and steel companies, some of us in this business won’t complain much because just few things would have been sourced outside this country. In absence of that, we rely on recycling some disused materials.”

On the differences between what he produces and those imported overseas, Eze said, “We use copper to construct our pipes while the ones that are imported come with irons. The copper we use makes our products unique and suitable for our local weather.”

He said with support from the government, refurbishing business could eliminate poverty in Igbo land.

In his words, “We need funding. There is a particular category of liquid fibres that if we get them, we could construct new ones. They are imported and very expensive. With government grants or loans, the sky will be our limit.”

He advised youths to discover their talents to live a fulfilled life.

Quoting him, “God gave talents to everybody. It is for us as people to discover such talents and develop them.

“Some misuse their own by not developing them. Our youths should learn trades to kill unemployment. It will make our youths the government of their own because they will also be employers of labour.”

He offered to train students across the state free of charge if the platform is created for him: “It will be my desire to train our youths, both formally and informally. I can go to secondary schools to train them. I’ll also gladly admit them to learn in my company at no cost, provided they are focused. Transferring my rich knowledge is my desire.”

He said he has many apprentices, although many of them attend schools, hence they are mainly available during holidays. He also said he would like his children to take after him.