By Stanley Nwanosike
Enugu – The Enugu State Government has appealed to youths in the state to embrace the ongoing “One-Youth, One-Skill Programme’’ of the state government.
The State Commissioner of Sports and Youths Development, Mr Joseph Udedi, made the appeal on Saturday, while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Enugu.
Udedi said that the programme, which is free-of-charge, was open to every youth resident in the state.
He said that youths should avail themselves of the opportunity to get equipped and “chase out idleness and joblessness in the state’’.
“It is only social vices that can limit any youth residing in this state especially when they involve themselves in drug. abuse prostitution, and cultism.
“However, Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi has passion to ensure that each youth in the state turns out to be an asset to the society and state through introduction of some youth advancement programmes.
“One of such programmes is the popular and ongoing One-Youth, One-Skill Programme being held at the media hall of the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu presently.
“In the programme, we train youths on skills such as ICT, agriculture, solar panel technology and installation, cosmetology, paint making, soap and cream making as well as fashion designing among other skills.
“Some of the training run for three months and others over a year depending on the skill being learnt.
“The state government foots the bill of the training,’’ he said.
The commissioner noted that the government through its Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) Centre provide those with good and clear-cut business plan and vision with soft loans to start-up at the end of the training.
“So, the government is thriving to close the skill gap in the state as well as creating massive jobs for all youths.
“For now, there is no limit to the number of youths required to apply for the training as the government has recently built-up the capacity to take more youths in the training programme,” he noted. (NAN)