Kenechukwu Ofomah
Awka
On the 23rd of December, 2022, the Anambra State Government under the leadership of Governor Chukwuma Soludo commenced the payment of operational cost for the implementation of the ‘One Youth Two Skills’ initiative in Anambra.
Upon assumption of office on March 17th 2022, Governor Soludo had read the riot act to criminals and touts operating in parts of the state, to vacate or face dire consequences.
The Governor was however benevolent in considering the plight of some youths who ventured into negativity because of the hardship in the society and announced that he will be floating several empowerment and skills acquisition programmes, to provide a positive survival alternative for the.
True to his words, the Governor, through the Ministry of Youths Development, flagged off the ‘One Youth Two Skills’ project, to provide the opportunity for the teeming Anambra youths to equip themselves with at least two skills that will make them self-reliant and productive.
The initiative cum project solution is an apprenticeship program which is designed to train and empower 4000 Youths and create 1000 youth millionaires.
The Commissioner for Youth Development, Anambra State, Mr. Patrick Agha Mba, whose mandate it is to implement the program through his ministry, on the 23rd December, 2022, led his team and staff to a verification exercise for the commencement of payment operational cost of over 400 Master Trainers who are currently training Youths in 20 different Skills acquisition areas in the 21 LGAs of the State.
The exercise, which was conducted in the most transparent manner in keeping with the transparency and accountability mantra of the Soludo regime, saw the Youth Commissioner personally take full charge of the documentation process.
Agha Mba, while addressing the Master Trainers in his Ministry, praised them for their effort and commitment on the partnership with the state government and believing in Mr. Governor Professor Charles Chukwuma Soludo CFR.
According to him, the confidence the master trainers have in the Soludo administration made them commence training for the trainees attached to their business centers, without receiving any take off payment since November.
While noting that Mr. Governor has promised to create 130,000 private sector jobs and 1000 youths millionaires annually, Agha Mba stated that the ongoing training is the Pilot phase, revealing that by January 2023, the government of Anambra State will flag off the first batch of training which is targeted to empower over 40,000 Anambra Youths in the state.
Mr. Commissioner also said that more trainings will be coming up from 2023 and charged the Master Trainers to focus on the deliverables. He went ahead to remind them of Mr. Governors promise to reward outstanding 21 Master Trainers drawn from the 21 LGAs with 1m each.
He emphasized the need for judicious application of the resources voted for the project by the state government, noting that that was the reason why his ministry had taken out time to conduct a thorough verification before payment.
Some of the Master Trainers interviewed thanked Mr. Governor for the wonderful initiative, which they acknowledged, will reduce crime and unemployment rate in Anambra State.
As is expected of any proactive leader, the number one youth in Anambra State, Ambassador Surveyor Obi Emeka Chukwudi believes the initiative is one of the most visible ways the Solution governance of Governor Chukwuma Soludo has been domesticated at the grassroots in the state.
His belief stems from the way the State Commissioner for Youth Development, Patrick Agha Mba has ensured the transparent implementation of the initiative, especially the payment for the operational cost for master trainers.
While one would ordinarily expect the initiative to go the way of other similar government programmes, Obi Emeka is upbeat that given the governor’s pedigree in integrity and the sagacity of the Youths Commissioner, Anambra youths will witness a process that will be fruitful and rewarding.
He said; “I have heard the Commissioner repeat several times that it will no longer be business as usual and that what government intends to achieve is value and productivity among the youths.
“Little wonder the Commissioner personally supervised the process of payments for the operational cost for the initiative.
“I also want to thank the Commissioner for carrying the youth stakeholders and the NYCN council along from the inception of the project solution till now.
“We have contributed towards the success of the project, mobilizing our people and proffering solutions that has helped to ensure the success of the initiative so far.”
Obi Emeka, who is the Anambra State Chairman, National Youth Council of Nigeria, NYCN, is full of thanks to Governor Soludo for the project solution which he said, will move Anambra youths from their present unsavoury condition to a better state.
Identifying poverty and unemployment as major reasons many youths indulge in negativity, the Anambra NYCN boss said the governor has shown that he is in tune with the youths by evolving such laudable initiative as the ‘One Youth Two Skill’ project solution, to meet the problems of the youths.
“We thank the Governor for implementing the National Youth Policy which states that the government should only use the NYCN to implement youth initiatives.
“The Soludo administration in Anambra State has harkened to this policy and we in the NYCN have been duly carried along and for that we are grateful to Mr Governor,” he said.
Obi Emeka assured that the State NYCN is ready to continue to provide the needed partnership which the state government can trust, in mobilizing youths to support government and also utilize government empowerment programmes to give expression to their life ambitions
