Grassroots Bridge Builders, a non-governmental organization, has launched a youth empowerment and skill acquisition programme aimed at training and empowering 10,000 young Nigerians with practical skills to improve their livelihoods and social wellbeing.
The initiative was unveiled in Abuja on Thursday, with Nigerian youths urged to embrace skills acquisition and other empowerment opportunities available through government and stakeholder-led intervention programmes to avoid substance abuse and other social vices.
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brig Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd), delivered the message while speaking as Special Guest of Honour at the event.
Marwa expressed satisfaction that the programme aligns with the renewed hope agenda of President Bola Tinubu’s administration, which focuses on youth empowerment, skills acquisition, job creation, and social inclusion. “Training and empowering 10,000 young Nigerians through practical skills is not just an NGO activity; it is direct support to government efforts, complementing national programmes aimed at reducing unemployment, poverty, drug abuse, and general crimes,” he said.
He added that “initiatives such as this one by Grassroots Bridge Builders deserve national applause,” noting that the impact of such programmes extends beyond economic benefits to social stability and public safety.
According to him, “what this organization is doing today is not charity; it is capacity building, character development, future protection, and prevention from drug abuse and its attendant consequences on our youth and the larger society.”
Marwa stressed that government alone cannot address all societal challenges. “The fight against drug abuse and associated crimes is everybody’s business,” he said, calling on NGOs, civil society organizations, faith-based bodies, community leaders, the private sector, and well-meaning Nigerians to emulate the initiative.
He encouraged stakeholders to partner with NDLEA in designing and implementing programmes that give young people skills, dignity, purpose, and a sense of belonging. He explained that prevention works best when communities, organizations, and government collaborate in a coordinated manner.
Addressing the youths present, Marwa said, “You are not a problem to be managed; you are a solution to be empowered. Your talents, creativity, and resilience are needed to build a stronger, safer, and more prosperous Nigeria. Embrace opportunities such as this, stay away from drugs, and invest in yourselves and the country.”
While congratulating Grassroots Bridge Builders for demonstrating that youth empowerment remains the most sustainable path to securing Nigeria’s future, he assured the organization of his support for all genuine, non-partisan initiatives that promote youth development, skills acquisition, and drug-free communities in line with national objectives and shared responsibility.
