By Alex Enebeli

The Federal Government has commenced training for 150 youths in Enugu State in Artificial Intelligence (AI), solar installation and fashion design under its National Poverty Reduction with Growth Strategy (NPRGS).

The programme aims to tackle unemployment and poverty by equipping beneficiaries with practical skills and starter packs to enable them to establish businesses and become self-reliant.

It is coordinated by the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Technical, Vocational and Entrepreneurship Education, in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning.

The two-week intensive training commenced on Wednesday at the Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT) Business School, Enugu.

Addressing participants, Dr Abiola Arogundade, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Technical, Vocational and Entrepreneurship Education, said the initiative was part of the Federal Government’s efforts to lift five million Nigerians out of poverty.

Arogundade described the South-East as an important part of the programme, noting that the choice of Enugu demonstrated the government’s commitment to empowering youths across the country.

“Our expectation is that the beneficiaries will attend the training every day, learn as much as possible and gradually begin to lift themselves out of poverty,” she said.

On sustainability, Arogundade said the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning had established a monitoring and evaluation mechanism to track beneficiaries’ progress.

She said the ministry would conduct assessments after six months and one year to determine how participants were utilising their acquired skills and equipment.

Also speaking, Mr Felix Okonkwo, Director of the Macroeconomic Analysis Department in the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, said the initiative aligned with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda to reduce poverty.

Okonkwo said the government recognised the high level of multidimensional poverty in the country and was addressing it through sustainable skills acquisition and economic empowerment.

He said the programme was designed to create multiple income streams for beneficiaries while encouraging them to transfer their acquired skills to others.

According to him, the government is shifting emphasis from temporary financial assistance to sustainable economic empowerment through vocational skills and entrepreneurship.

“Instead of giving people N5,000, N8,000 or N10,000 as cash transfers, we believe that equipping them with skills and supporting small-scale businesses will provide a more sustainable means of reducing poverty.

“The beneficiaries undergoing fashion designing will receive electric sewing machines, those learning artificial intelligence will get laptops, while participants in solar installation will receive complete solar installation toolkits.

“With these starter packs, they can establish their businesses, earn income and become economically independent,” Okonkwo said.

He said the programme had been implemented in the South-West and North-Central geopolitical zones, adding that it would be extended to other parts of the country.

Okonkwo disclosed that another phase would be organised in the South-East before the government commenced state-level training across the federation.

He said the 150 beneficiaries were selected through an open application process advertised on social media and radio stations.

He urged youths who were not selected to remain patient, assuring them that subsequent phases would accommodate more beneficiaries.

In his remarks, Mr Chris-Roberts Ozongwu, Enugu State Commissioner for Budget and Planning, commended Tinubu for the initiative, describing it as an intervention in youth empowerment and poverty reduction.

Ozongwu said the programme complemented Gov. Peter Mbah’s administration’s efforts to promote entrepreneurship, skills acquisition and economic development.

He noted that the state government had continued to support small and medium-scale enterprises through various empowerment initiatives.

A beneficiary, Anthony Edeh, who is undergoing solar installation training, thanked the Federal Government for the opportunity.

He described solar technology as a fast-growing sector with significant employment and business opportunities.

“I believe the benefits I will gain from this training will be beyond my expectations.

“I thank President Bola Tinubu for this wonderful initiative to empower youths through solar installation training,” Edeh said.(NAN)

Edited by Maureen Atuonwu