ANAMBRA YOUTHS - Anambra State Government Website

ANAMBRA YOUTHS TO BENEFIT FROM UNDP, MASTERCARD EMPOWERMENT PROGRAMME

BY: Nwokedi Nwanneka A. and Maureen Agbala :

In a bid to drive socio economic development in Nigeria, MasterCard Foundation in partnership with United Nations Development Programmes (UNDP) organized a four-day in-house training tagged “Young Africa Innovates” for young Anambra youths between the ages of 18-35 years in the state.

The training which started on Monday 14th October, 2024 at ASSU Hall, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka was aimed to strengthen the capacity of innovation hubs and local institutions as well as support young innovators from all works of life.

Speaking during the training, the Focal Person United Nations Development Programmes (UNDP), South East, Chiwetalu Okosi stated that Young Africa Innovates ethos is rooted in inclusivity and to ensure that innovators from all works of life are empowered to bring their vision to life.

She also said that at the core of the programme, innovators will be provided with technical support to test, validate and scale up their solutions.

According to her, Anambra is the pilot state for South East and the focus is on Commerce because of the state’s peculiarity on entrepreneurship, so there is need for innovative ideas under the value chain for commerce to find out how we can find new ways of doing commerce to improve. Once we have something new and innovative, the idea will be refined.

“Out of 3000 youths that applied, 300 was selected, there was no academic restriction and the programme was conducted in two batches. After the training they will pitch their ideas and best 30 will be selected and scaled up into incubators stage after which they will be given all they will need to refine these ideas like; seed money, mentorship etc and the refined ideas will further be developed and established,’’ she said.

One of the participants, Mrs Okonkwo Patience Onyinyechi, a fashion designer expressed joy to be selected for the programme, stating that she has learned a lot of new ways to help boost her business.

‘’This is a life changing opportunity, I have learnt so many new things that will help improve my business and also in other fields of works, even if am not selected at the end of the day, my life has richly been impacted positively’’.

Idika Chidimma, one of the resource persons commended the organisers of the programme as it will empower the young innovators and help them address the challenges in the commerce sector.

‘’These young innovators are local talents, they are residents in the state so they know the challenges in the commerce sector, they have been equipped with new ways to address these challenges and also to improve their skills,’’ she said.

* Nwokedi and Agbala are of the Ministry of Information, Anambra State *

MINISTRY OF YOUTH DEVELOPMENT COLLABORATES ANSIPPA TO OPEN MASSIVE JOB SPACES FOR ANAMBRA YOUTHS

By Ifeoma Aniagbado :

The Anambra State Ministry of Youth Development and the Anambra State Investment Promotion and Protection Agency (ANSIPPA), have agreed to collaborate in exploring the advantage of the recent inflow of investments into the state to open up massive job spaces for the youths of Anambra State.

This agreement, which was in line with the “One Government – One Agenda” philosophy of the present administration of Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, was reached during the visit of the Commissioner for Youth Development, Patrick Agha Mba, to the Managing Director ANSIPPA, Mark Okoye.

The Commissioner for Youth Development, who was accompanied by some members of the management team and technical committee of the ministry, said that the key objective of the visit was to present the programmes of the Ministry for possible areas of partnership with the private sector, which ANSIPPA could assist in facilitating.

While commending ANSIPPA for huge successes already recorded in attracting notable investors to Anambra State in line with the vision of Mr. Governor, the commissioner called for synergy between the ministry and the Agency as the ministry has a database of over 200,000 Anambra youths seeking for job opportunities.

He said that the quickest way to achieve Mr. Governor’s goal of “Jobs, Jobs and Quality Jobs” is through the establishment of linkages between the young job seekers in the state and companies, especially the ones that are investing newly in the state.

Among the programmes of the ministry presented to ANSIPPA were the 1 Youth 2 Skills Solution, which is targeted at raising smart entrepreneurs as well as the Job-kikstart Solution Initiative, which the commissioner described as a means of bridging the gap between job seekers and employers of labour, in addition to making our graduates employable through necessary orientation and internship.

He commended the level of competence and commitment of the Managing Director of ANSIPPA, thanking him for his support to the programmes of Youths.

Responding, the Managing Director ANSIPPA, Dr. Okoye, commended the governor and commissioner for the new youth development system, which is a complete deviation from normal government empowerment programmes.

He described 1 Youth 2 Skills programme and the empowerment of 5000 youths to the tune of N2b as unprecedented in the history of the state, saying that the agency is highly aware of the local content policy of the present administration, hence will work with the Ministry of Youth Development to ensure that the youths of Anambra State were provided with adequate and timely information as well as support during recruitments by companies that are being attracted to the state.

Okoye called on the need for skill acquisition in the tourism sector, especially now that the government is investing a lot in the Leisure Park and Five Star Hotel as well as other areas of tourism and hospitality.

The Meeting was attended by the Acting Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Youth Development, Mrs. Chito Osili; Special Assistant to Governor on Youth Development, Engr. Emeka Tony Omatah; ED – ANSIPPA Ejike Osisioma; Chief of Staff to MD ANSIPPA Chinedu Onyike; Congo Ajekwu, HOD Public Private Partnership (PPP) ANSIPPA; Executive Assistant to Governor on Youth Development, Mr. Chibuzor Udeh, and the Media Team of the Ministry of Youth Development.

*Ifeoma is of the Ministry of Information, Anambra State