The Rivers State Government has inaugurated the Adolescent and Young Peoples Innovation Hub, aimed at tackling youth unemployment, skill gaps, and health vulnerabilities, including HIV and other challenges.
The facility, located in Fimie in the Port Harcourt City Local Government Area, has been described as a bold investment in the state’s future, targeting adolescents who form a significant portion of Rivers’ population.
The State Commissioner for Health, Dr Adaeze Oreh, who performed the commissioning on Thursday, noted that the hub represents Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s commitment to addressing pressing youth issues through innovative, youth-centred interventions.
“This hub goes beyond skills training; it creates opportunities, restores dignity, and nurtures hope,” Dr Oreh said, stressing that every young person entering the facility should leave equipped with essential self-reliance skills.
The initiative is a collaborative effort involving the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Nigeria, via the Institute of Human Virology Nigeria, with implementation support from Project Hope.
The Chief Operating Officer of IHVN, Dr Charles Olalekan-Mensah, outlined the programme’s structure, saying adolescents will be enrolled in cohorts of 50 for six-month intensive training in web design, makeup artistry, entrepreneurship, vocational life-building skills, culinary services, robotics, and application development.
“Graduates from here can train others in their communities,” Dr Mensah said, highlighting state-of-the-art equipment, including a fully equipped kitchen for culinary training and a robotics room for tech innovation.
“This is a hub where dreams are realised, potentials harnessed, creativity encouraged, ideas exchanged, and capacity built,” he added.
Representing Project Hope’s Country Representative, Programme and Operations Manager Mrs Adeola Seweje commended the Fimie community and Rivers State Government for their cooperation, which enabled the timely commissioning.
The Amayanabo (King) of Fimie Kingdom, Dr Bernard Fimie, in a goodwill message, thanked the state government and health partners for locating the project in his domain.
The monarch urged youths to seize the opportunity fully, noting that the hub is expected to serve as a multiplier, producing skilled individuals who can drive community development and reduce social vulnerabilities among young people in Rivers State. The project aligns with broader public health and youth development goals.
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