The Federal Government has trained and empowered 95 youths from the South-East geopolitical zone with vocational skills, equipment and startup support as part of efforts to promote entrepreneurship, reduce unemployment and drive economic growth in the region.
The beneficiaries, drawn from the 95 local government areas across Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo states, graduated on Sunday from the Skill-Up South East Programme, an initiative of the Renewed Hope Administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Speaking during the graduation and empowerment ceremony held at the Ecumenical Centre, Abakaliki, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Community Engagement (South-East), Hon. Barr. Mrs. Chioma Nweze, said the programme was designed to equip young people with practical skills and entrepreneurial knowledge needed to become self-reliant and productive members of society.
According to her, the beneficiaries underwent intensive training in tailoring and fashion design, alongside lessons in financial literacy and business management aimed at ensuring the sustainability of their ventures.
She disclosed that each of the graduating fashion designers received a brand-new sewing machine and startup funds to enable them commence business operations immediately.
Nweze said the initiative reflected the Federal Government’s commitment to empowering young Nigerians and creating opportunities for wealth creation through skills acquisition.
She noted that many of the trainees had little or no prior experience in the trades before enrolling in the programme but had successfully acquired skills capable of transforming their economic fortunes.
“The programme gave them more than vocational training. It equipped them with business and financial management skills because training without the ability to sustain a business can limit economic growth. Today, they leave not only with skills but also with tools and support to begin their entrepreneurial journeys,” she said.
The presidential aide described the South-East as a region renowned for enterprise and innovation, stressing that empowering young people with practical skills would contribute significantly to the region’s economic development.
She said the Skill-Up South East Programme aligns with President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritises human capital development, youth empowerment and inclusive economic growth across the country.
Nweze also highlighted several ongoing Federal Government interventions in the South-East, including major road rehabilitation projects, investments in rail infrastructure, student loan schemes and industrial development initiatives.
According to her, projects such as the Enugu-Abakaliki Expressway, Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway, Abakaliki-Afikpo Road and the Umuahia-Aba section of the federal highway are expected to enhance connectivity and stimulate commerce within the region.
She further noted that the Federal Government had approved the South-East Investment Company under the South East Development Commission to accelerate industrialisation and economic expansion in the zone.
The presidential aide urged the beneficiaries to make prudent use of the equipment and financial support provided to them, emphasizing that discipline, hard work and commitment to quality service would be essential to building successful businesses.
She encouraged them to become employers of labour and role models for other young people in their communities.
Nweze also outlined some of the achievements of her office since inception, including a free medical outreach programme launched in partnership with the David Umahi Federal University of Health Sciences (DUFUHS), Uburu, and the Ebonyi State Government.
She said the intervention provided free cancer screening, eye care services and dialysis treatment to residents across the region as part of efforts to improve access to healthcare.
The presidential aide commended the Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, for his contributions to infrastructure development and community-based interventions, including healthcare support, ICT projects, solar-powered boreholes and soft loans for small businesses.
She called on political office holders and well-meaning Nigerians to support community development initiatives, noting that sustainable development requires collective action.
Nweze assured that the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Community Engagement (South-East) would continue to expand its programmes in the areas of skills acquisition, healthcare, education and grassroots engagement to ensure that more communities benefit from government interventions.
She described the graduation of the pioneer trainees as evidence of the impact of the Federal Government’s empowerment policies and expressed optimism that the beneficiaries would contribute meaningfully to the economic transformation of the South-East and the country at large.
The ceremony was attended by government officials, traditional rulers, community leaders, development partners and families of the beneficiaries from across the five South-East states.
