The Nigerian Youth Congress (NYC) and the Nehemiah Foundation, an NGO, have entered into a partnership aimed at empowering no fewer than 10,000 Nigerian women and youths with agribusiness and other practical skills.
The agreement was signed on Friday in Abuja by Engr. Jethro Annum, President of NYC, and Mr Emmanuel Nehemiah, Executive Director of the Nehemiah Foundation.
Speaking at the event, Annum described the occasion as the beginning of a milestone of great importance to the youth structure across the globe, starting with Nigeria as the focal point.
According to him, youths cut across every scheme of life, including graduates and non-graduates, and across every purpose.
“We see this partnership between the NYC and the Nehemiah Foundation as more than just a signing of an agreement.
“It is the unveiling of a structured result driven initiative designed to empower 10,000 youths and women across Nigeria through investment in agribusiness, ICT, technical skills and entrepreneurship.
“It also entails the cooperative society that will be formed across the 774 local governments of Nigeria.
“We are creating a pathway for sustainable livelihoods and economic independence.
“This initiative is built on transparency, accountability and measurable impact; it reflects our shared belief that youth empowerment must move beyond promises to practical implementation; to Nigerian youths across the country, this partnership is for you,” he said.
Annum added that the initiative represents a commitment to skills, opportunity and structured support that would enable beneficiaries to become job creators, innovators and nation builders. He noted that the programme aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda of the President.
On his part, Nehemiah said the partnership was informed by the desire to set up a team that would help the President achieve his Renewed Hope Agenda.
“Looking at the spread of NYC across every ward, every local government, and every state of Nigeria, we feel it is a good platform.
“A total economic revolution in Nigeria can be achieved through the country’s youth and women.
“The entire initiative focuses on mobilising young people and raising a skilled, trained workforce in every location across all states.”
“We will raise them, train them as organised trainers, who will now be used also to train trainees.’’
Nehemiah explained that the scheme ensures each beneficiary can train five others, creating a multiplier effect.
He said the training would target specific skills, particularly agribusiness, IT, production of small-scale industrial equipment, carpentry and other skills development.
“But in the end of it all, this is supposed to be a system that will be coordinated through a platform of cooperative society, social enterprise network, and business development service scheme,’’ he said.
He added that the programme would begin with 10,000 trainees at the onset.
