Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State has pledged to broaden his administration’s youth empowerment initiatives, saying greater investment in skills development will help tackle poverty and improve productivity among young people.
Mbah made the commitment while inspecting a six-week digital skills and vocational training programme being organised by his Special Assistant on Youth Development and Mobilisation, Charles Edeh, in collaboration with CUTECH Group.
The governor, who was represented at the event by the Secretary to the Enugu State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, said the administration was focused on giving young people practical skills that could improve their employment and entrepreneurial prospects.
He described youth development as a strategic investment in the future of the state and assured participants that the current programme would be expanded to reach more beneficiaries.
According to Mbah, empowering young people with relevant digital and practical skills remains an important part of efforts to reduce poverty and create a more productive population.
Speaking earlier, Edeh explained that the training was designed as part of a larger youth empowerment framework that would extend to young people across all 17 local government areas of Enugu State.
He said the initiative was intended to ensure that young people from rural communities and disadvantaged backgrounds also had access to training and opportunities.
Edeh stressed that talent should not be limited by a person's location or lack of access to resources, adding that every young person deserves opportunities to acquire knowledge, develop their abilities and build a sustainable future.
Meanwhile, the Managing Director of CUTECH Group, Collins Onu, disclosed that more than 1,500 applications were received for the programme.
However, only 200 applicants could be admitted because of the programme's limited capacity.
Onu said the training formed part of CUTECH Group’s corporate social responsibility efforts aimed at preparing young people with relevant skills and knowledge for the changing demands of the economy.
The organisers said the experience gained from the current cohort would help shape future phases of the programme as efforts continue to expand youth skills development across Enugu State.