Uyo, Akwa Ibom – The Minister for Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, has marked this year’s World Youth Skills Day in Uyo with the launch of key youth empowerment initiatives, highlighting Akwa Ibom’s first-ever celebration of the United Nations-designated day since its inception in 2015.
Speaking at the event on July 15, the Minister stated, “Today in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, I joined young Nigerians, partners, and stakeholders to commemorate World Youth Skills Day — a momentous occasion not just nationally, but especially for Akwa Ibom, as the State marks this global day for the very first time since it was established by the United Nations in 2015.”
While Nigeria has celebrated this day ten times, this is the first edition held in Akwa Ibom. Olawande emphasized the importance of grassroots engagement in his collaboration with the state government.
“The event served as a powerful platform to deepen the synergy between the Federal Ministry of Youth Development and the Akwa Ibom State Government,” he said.
During the ceremony, the Minister announced the launch of two major projects aimed at community-level youth development.
“We seized the opportunity to launch two grassroots-driven initiatives: NiYA Ambassadors – designed to expand the reach and impact of the Nigerian Youth Academy across communities by building a network of change agents at the local level; and the Bamboo Youth Empowerment Programme – an innovative collaboration with the Industrial Training Fund (ITF), National Directorate of Employment (NDE), Akwa Ibom State Government, and the National Bamboo Farmers, Processors, and Marketers Association of Nigeria (NBFPMAN),” he explained.
The Bamboo Youth Empowerment Programme is set to tap into the region’s natural bamboo resources to drive job creation, climate-smart agriculture, and green business opportunities.
Olawande noted, “It was particularly encouraging to witness Akwa Ibom’s commitment to lead in this climate-smart and forward-looking agenda, given its vast bamboo resources.”
He also commended Governor Pastor Umo Eno for establishing a dedicated Ministry for Youth Development.
“I was also pleased to learn that Governor Pastor Umo Eno has established a dedicated Ministry for Youth Development — a direct response to a request I made during my last visit,” he said.
Another key moment at the event was the unveiling of the Arise Youth-Friendly Hub. According to Olawande, “This hub mirrors our flagship Youth House initiative at the national level — envisioned as a convergence point for creativity, dialogue, and inclusive youth development.”
The Minister reaffirmed the government’s commitment to empowering young Nigerians through job creation, skill acquisition, and sustainable development efforts.
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