The CEO of Jeety’s Trading Corporation, Upjit singh Sachdeva, has vowed to employ the first hundred At-Risk-Youths who will agree to go through the rehabilitation process.
Speaking at the Ministry of Information regular Thursday press briefing held on June 23, 2022 at the Pelham building on Center Street, as part of his contribution to the rehabilitation of At-Risk-Youths, the humanitarian businessman admonished several zogos to make use of the opportunity of rehabilitation as they are the future of Liberia.
Dr. Sachdeva alias Jeety promised that he will employ hundreds At-Risk-Youths to on his new rubber plantation project that is currently undergoing construction.
The Ministry of Youths and Sports in collaboration with the Ministry of Health as well as the Ministry of Gender and in collaborations with international partners has ignited the government’s project of reclaiming zogos through detoxification and rehabilitation and provide 10 different skill trainings.
The Chairperson of the Steering Committee for the National Fund Drive for the Rehabilitation & Empowerment of youths, D. Zeogar Wilson stated that the government of Liberia has great plans for the At-Risk-Youth.
“The government is renovating the ‘Youth Agriculture Training Center’ in Bensonville, where the first set of the At-Risk-Youth will register; thereafter, we will be reconnecting you with your families and the government will make sure to provide jobs within the trade which you have learned. If there is no job space available, the Government of Liberia will empower you by finding something small to start up,” the Minister of Youth and Sports assured.
He revealed that next week Tuesday will be fundraising program for the reclaiming of those At-Risk-Youths at the ministerial complex, thereby calling on international partners, Liberians home and abroad to join efforts in the rehabilitation exercise.
He disclosed that the rehabilitation process of the At-Risk-Youths will begin with 14 different type of trade including tailoring, baking, cosmetology, plumbing, construction and soap making, among others.
At the same time, the Minister of Health, Wilhelmina Jallah, stated that as part of the process of recruitment, the At-Risk-Youths will undergo some medical procedure, like psychosocial counseling, case management and mental health clinicians.
The Director General, Liberia Drugs Enforcement Agency(LDEA), Col. Marcus D. Zehyoue, spoke about ‘Drugs and Effects’ adding that there have been a changing in the exciting laws of drugs to make it Non-bailable and to catch those big hands involved in bringing drugs into the country.
Speaking on behalf of the At-Risk-Youths, Tony Beh alias DOC, lamented that zogos have problems with the government and they are angry the government is not fulfilling its many promises made to them.
“We get problem with the government. The people here are angry with the government. They promised us on slipway field when they just came to power and they did nothing but they have come again,” he recalled.
However, a two months old pregnant zogo and chairperson of all the female zogos at the Pelham building, Josephine Mensah welcomed the decision of the government and pleaded with them to do more as they need help; Sampat J.M.B Kpakima reports.