Youth leaders and stakeholders from the seventeen Local Government Areas and three Senatorial Districts of Enugu State have reaffirmed their unwavering support for the administration of Governor Dr. Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, unanimously passing a vote of confidence on the Governor while endorsing a comprehensive 12-point roadmap aimed at accelerating youth empowerment, entrepreneurship and inclusive development across the state.
The endorsement came during the Enugu State Youth Stakeholders' Interactive Session, convened by the Office of the Special Assistant to the Governor on Youth Development and Mobilization, Hon. Charles Nnaemeka Edeh, at the Conference Hall of the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, State Secretariat, Enugu.
The interactive forum, which drew youth leaders, government officials, traditional rulers, development partners and representatives of youth organisations from across the state, served as a platform to review the Mbah administration's youth-focused programmes while charting practical strategies for expanding opportunities for young people.
The meeting opened with prayers led by the Chairman of the Youth Wing of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Enugu State, Mr. Ani Samuel Chekwube, while the President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Enugu State, High Chief Uche Obosi (Agbalanze), performed the traditional breaking of the kola nut.
Addressing participants, Hon. Charles Nnaemeka Edeh expressed gratitude to Governor Peter Mbah for the confidence reposed in him through his appointment as Special Assistant on Youth Development and Mobilization, describing the appointment as another demonstration of the Governor's determination to place young people at the centre of governance.
He explained that the stakeholders' engagement was designed as a strategic platform for dialogue, needs assessment and policy consultation, enabling government to better understand the aspirations, challenges and expectations of youths across Enugu State.
According to him, the initiative reflects Governor Mbah's commitment to participatory governance and will ensure that the voices of young people remain central to government policies and programmes.
Hon. Edeh assured participants that his office would sustain regular engagement with youth organisations and stakeholders to strengthen collaboration in implementing the administration's youth development agenda.
Delivering his address, the Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Hon. Lloyd Ikechukwu Ekweremadu, JM, highlighted several transformational projects initiated by the Mbah administration, including Enugu Air, Smart Green Schools, Type-2 Primary Healthcare Centres, the International Palm Produce Project, the Niger Gas initiative and investor-friendly policies that have continued to position Enugu as an emerging investment destination.
The Commissioner disclosed that more than 700 youths had benefited from agricultural training programmes organised in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture.
He further revealed that collaboration with the Mastercard Foundation led to the establishment of a Creative Academy at the Institute of Management and Technology (IMT), where youths are acquiring practical skills in Artificial Intelligence (AI), animation, gaming, digital content creation and other emerging technologies.
Ekweremadu also announced that under the Tomorrow Is Here Initiative, vocational training programmes conducted across the seventeen Local Government Areas equipped approximately 2,100 young people with employable skills, while 1,020 outstanding trainees received start-up support to establish sustainable businesses.
Speaking on behalf of the South East Development Commission (SEDC), the Commission's Liaison Officer, Hon. Edeani M. Edeani, encouraged youths to actively take advantage of intervention programmes available through the Commission, particularly in agriculture, enterprise development and community empowerment.
He stressed that stronger collaboration among institutions and stakeholders remains essential for sustainable development across the South-East.
In his goodwill message, the Igwe-Elect of Mburubu and Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of First Choice Afro Villa Ltd. and Mburubu Construction Company, Engr. Jerry Patrick Onuokaibe, commended Governor Mbah for creating an enabling investment climate that has inspired indigenous businesses to invest confidently in Enugu State.
He announced a ₦10 million sponsorship for a youth football competition to promote talent discovery and youth development, while also revealing that his company became the first indigenous firm to partner with the Smart Green Schools initiative.
Also speaking, Okoh Emmanuel Onyeka (Okwuluora Ndi Igbo) praised the pace of infrastructure development and economic reforms under Governor Mbah, urging young people to remain united and continue supporting initiatives capable of driving sustainable development across the state.
Following extensive deliberations, participants unanimously adopted a 12-point strategic roadmap focused on expanding youth engagement, promoting cooperative agriculture and cluster farming, institutionalising regular stakeholders' forums, strengthening collaboration among all tiers of government, increasing youth participation in governance, deepening grassroots mobilisation, encouraging private-sector investment and job creation, revitalising female football, improving access to affordable housing, strengthening youth agricultural associations, accelerating infrastructure development in underserved communities and pursuing reforms that will strengthen youth development administration.
The high point of the meeting was the unanimous adoption of a vote of confidence on Governor Peter Mbah in recognition of what participants described as his transformational leadership, commitment to youth empowerment, infrastructure renewal, economic growth and inclusive governance.
The motion was moved by Amb. Nwamazioshi Joseph Daniel, Special Senior Assistant on Media and Communication to the Executive Chairman of Aninri Local Government Area, and seconded by the Chairman of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), Enugu State Chapter, Comrade Bartholomew Ebuka Okoh.
Participants equally applauded Governor Mbah for appointing Hon. Charles Nnaemeka Edeh as Special Assistant on Youth Development and Mobilization, describing the appointment as a significant step toward strengthening youth participation in governance and policy implementation.
The stakeholders reaffirmed their commitment to partnering with the Enugu State Government in implementing the resolutions reached at the meeting and advancing Governor Peter Mbah's Tomorrow Is Here agenda through innovation, entrepreneurship, inclusive governance and sustainable youth development.
The interactive session ended with participants expressing optimism that the resolutions adopted would translate into impactful policies and programmes capable of creating greater opportunities for young people and accelerating the socio-economic transformation of Enugu State.
