…As five secure fully funded US scholarships at Peter Eze Youth Connect
Enugu State Governor, Dr. Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, has urged youths in the state to take advantage of employment, skills development and other opportunities provided by the Federal Government, stressing that access, preparation and meaningful connections are critical to unlocking their potential.
Mbah, who spoke through the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, made the call at the Peter Eze Youth Connect programme organised by the Federal Character Commission (FCC) in Enugu.
The event, held at the Enugu International Conference Centre and themed “Beyond Quotas: Unlocking Opportunities for Enugu Youths Through the Federal Character Commission,” attracted thousands of youths, entrepreneurs, farmers, graduates, professionals and development partners from across the state.
The governor described the initiative as a practical demonstration of what could be achieved when deliberate efforts were made to connect young people with opportunities.
He particularly commended the award of five fully funded scholarships to study in the United States to five Enugu youths, describing the gesture, sponsored by friends of Peter Eze in the diaspora, as potentially life-changing.
«“Five lives. Five families. Five young people whose possibilities may be completely different because somebody created a connection. That is what opportunity looks like. It is no longer an idea. It has a face,” Mbah said.»
The governor acknowledged the importance of federal character in ensuring equitable representation in recruitment and appointments but stressed that access to opportunities was equally crucial.
«“A quota tells you what you are entitled to. Access shows you what is possible,” he stated.»
Mbah cited recent opportunities that have enabled young people from the South-East to participate in technical and skills-development programmes in China, noting that their return with new knowledge and expertise could stimulate enterprise, employment and innovation in the region.
He said initiatives under the Peter Eze Youth Connect programme, including connecting young farmers to international markets, providing career and résumé guidance, and creating entrepreneurial networks, demonstrated how representation could go beyond putting names on lists to actually transforming lives.
According to him, the Enugu State Government considers its people its greatest asset and would continue to invest in education, skills, innovation and global competitiveness.
«“Our greatest long-term investment must therefore be in people, who are educated, skilled, innovative, productive and globally competitive.»
«“We want an Enugu where a young person can say, ‘I can build my future here, and from here I can reach the world.’”»
The governor also called for stronger collaboration among the Federal Government, state governments, the private sector and international partners, with young people placed at the centre of development initiatives.
He commended Peter Eze for using her platform to create access and build bridges for young people, while also acknowledging President Bola Tinubu for providing a national framework through which citizens and states could connect with opportunities within and outside Nigeria.
Mbah pointed to some of the collaborations already taking shape in Enugu, including the concession of Akanu Ibiam International Airport, which he said would strengthen connectivity for farmers, exporters, businesses and professionals.
He also highlighted the partnership between the Nigerian Communications Commission and the Enugu State Government to transform the Federal Government’s Digital Industrial Park into an Enugu Talent City and Artificial Intelligence Institute.
Speaking at the event, the Chairman of the Federal Character Commission, Mrs. Ayo Omidiran, declared that Federal Government employment opportunities were open to all qualified Nigerians and warned that such jobs were not for sale.
She said the commission would not allow any government agency to deny a state its fair share of employment opportunities, urging young Nigerians to apply for vacancies whenever they were advertised rather than assume that recruitment outcomes had already been predetermined.
Earlier, the convener of the programme, Mr. Peter Eze, urged youths to reject the belief that Federal Government jobs were already shared before vacancies were advertised.
Eze encouraged young people to prepare themselves, apply for genuine opportunities and report anyone demanding money or gratification in exchange for government employment.
The programme brought together thousands of young farmers, entrepreneurs, graduates, career professionals and development partners, reinforcing the message that when government institutions, the private sector and development partners deliberately create pathways to opportunity, Nigerian youths are positioned to become the ultimate beneficiaries.
