Anambra Government has reiterated its determination to make 1,000 youths millionaires every year through various youth-centred policies and programmes.
Commissioner for Youth Development, Mr Patrick Aghamba, said this shortly after a state-wide sensitisation on “Close the Gap Initiative” programme, which ended at Anambra Central senatorial district.
Aghamba, who joined in the roadshow in Anambra South senatorial district to raise awareness on the programme, said that it was aimed at equipping every youth in the state with two marketable skills.
He said that the ministry had earlier completed the sensitisation in Anambra North and South senatorial districts.
Aghamba said that the registration for “One Youth, Two Skills Solution,” which was designed to provide employment to the hitherto unemployed youth, started sometime in 2022.
He, however, expressed the regret that only 60 out of 179 communities responded in spite of the awareness.
The commissioner encouraged youths and communities to embrace the programme, noting that it was an antidote to criminality, youth unemployment and restiveness.
“In our action plan, we hope to bridge the gap by bringing together communities and relevant stakeholders with the government. We are from the grassroots and we must give back to them.
“We formed a group of young people to assist in the development of local structures and the implementation of our policies. We must communicate with the people.
“We have also organised social media volunteers and awareness-raising volunteers,” he said.
Aghamba said that the programme was targeted at 130, 000 youths and 3,000 master trainers in the first phase, adding that the training for the 5,000 pilot beneficiaries was already ongoing.
He said that the strategy was to send the trainees to functional skill centres to learn various skills and expose them to the business environment.
According to him, successful trainees will proceed to the next phases, comprising entrepreneurship programme, business financing and mentorship for one year.
On his part, the traditional ruler of Okpuno, Awka South Local Government Area, Igwe S.I Okafor, said that he had made concerted efforts to ensure that all the traditional rulers from Anambra central senatorial district keyed into the programme.
Okafor thanked Gov. Chukwuma Soludo for his lofty policies for the youth in the state, urging them (youths) to take the programme seriously in order to improve their lives.
President-General of the State Association of Town Unions, Mr Titus Akpudo, who noted that youths were tomorrow’s leaders and brighter future, lauded Aghamba for the success of the town hall meeting in three senatorial districts in the state.
He described Igbo youths as entrepreneurial and hardworking, stressing that they could succeed with the right training and mentorship.
Akpudo stated that if the youths were empowered and established, and criminality would reduce to the barest minimum in the state.
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