Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo of Anambra State has launched the second phase of the ‘One-Youth-Two-Skills’ initiative, aimed at empowering the youth with practical skills. The event, held at the International Convention Centre in Awka, saw around 8,620 participants selected from 183,000 applicants.
In his speech, Governor Soludo emphasized the importance of human capital development, stating that the initiative is designed to equip Anambra’s youth with sustainable skills to combat unemployment and poverty. He highlighted that the program, which trained 5,000 youths in its first phase, has already seen many participants become employers of labor.
The second phase of the initiative is structured around five pillars: an apprenticeship scheme, entrepreneurial skills training, formation of cooperatives, a business financing scheme, and mentorship. Soludo announced that ₦2.5 billion has been allocated as start-up capital for qualified beneficiaries, reinforcing the state government’s commitment to creating employment opportunities.
The governor also stressed that the program is not about distributing free money but about empowering those willing to work hard for a decent living. He called on the youth to take full advantage of the initiative, urging them to become solutions to both themselves and the society.
Anambra’s Commissioner for Youth Development, Mr. Patrick Aghamba, praised the initiative as a model for youth empowerment, emphasizing its focus on quality and sustainability. He commended the rigorous selection process and assured that lessons from the first phase would be used to improve the program’s effectiveness in the second phase.
The event was attended by prominent state officials, including the Deputy Governor, Dr. Onyekachukwu Ibezim, and the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Somtochukwu Udeze.
