By Nkechinyere Ewa, Abakaliki
The Federal Government has empowered 95 youths drawn from the five South-East states with vocational skills, entrepreneurship training and startup support under its Skill-Up South East Programme aimed at reducing unemployment and promoting self-reliance.
The beneficiaries, selected from the 95 local government areas in Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo states, graduated from a comprehensive fashion design and entrepreneurship training programme at the Ecumenical Centre, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State.
Speaking at the graduation ceremony, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Community Engagement (South-East), Barr. Chioma Nweze, said the initiative was designed to create economic opportunities for young Nigerians through practical skills acquisition and enterprise development in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Nweze explained that beyond vocational training, participants were equipped with knowledge in financial literacy, business planning and enterprise management to enable them establish and sustain successful ventures.
She disclosed that each graduate received a brand-new sewing machine and financial support to facilitate the immediate take-off of their businesses.
According to her, many of the participants had little or no prior experience in tailoring before joining the programme but successfully acquired valuable skills capable of transforming their livelihoods and contributing to economic growth.
“Skills acquisition remains one of the most effective tools for combating unemployment. We ensured that participants were not only trained in a vocation but also exposed to business and financial management so they can build sustainable enterprises,” she said.
The presidential aide described the South-East as a region renowned for entrepreneurship and innovation, stressing that empowering young people would further enhance productivity, wealth creation and economic expansion. She also highlighted ongoing Federal Government investments in transportation infrastructure, education and industrial development across the region.
Chairman of the Senate Committee on Diaspora and NGOs, Senator Onyekachi Nwebonyi, commended Nweze for initiating the programme, describing it as the first of its kind in the region.
He urged her to continue projecting the achievements of President Tinubu while encouraging beneficiaries to maximise the opportunity by building successful businesses and becoming employers of labour.
Also speaking, the Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, praised Nweze and her team for their commitment to youth empowerment and pledged additional support for the programme.
“I saw their commitment in delivering their people through this empowerment project and I said I will work with them to deliver the dividends of democracy,” Umahi said.
He added that the Tinubu administration had delivered numerous infrastructure projects across the South-East, including the ongoing Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway.
Umahi further announced a cash grant of N200,000 for each of the 95 graduates through the Office of the SSA to the President on Community Engagement (South-East), bringing additional relief and encouragement to the beneficiaries.
He urged the graduates not to take the opportunity for granted, noting that the skills, equipment and financial support provided under the programme represented a foundation for future success and economic independence.