The National Directorate of Employment (NDE) has commended the Chairman of Igbo-Eze South Local Government Area of Enugu State, Mr Ferdinand Ukwueze, for his administration’s youth empowerment initiatives.
According to NDE, Igboeze South LGA had, through its various skills programmes, especially in rural areas, enabled wealth creation and poverty eradication.
The commendation was contained in a letter from the Director-General of the NDE, Mr Silas Agara, to Mr Ukwueze. It was presented to the council chairman by the State Coordinator of NDE, Mr Oluka Godwin, at the council headquarters, Ibagwa Aka, on Thursday.
The director general stated that the recognition was in acknowledgement of the chairman’s partnership with NDE “in tackling unemployment at the grassroots”. He said Ukwueze’s leadership had provided a platform for meaningful engagement of youths, “which aligns with the federal government’s vision for sustainable national development.”
Quoting NDE, “The Directorate has observed with admiration the chairman’s passion for youth development and his commitment to poverty alleviation strategies. This is the kind of leadership we need at the local level to drive employment generation and reduce youth restiveness.”
NDE during the presentation approved Igbo-Eze South LGA to serve as the coordinating hub for all skills acquisition and vocational training programmes across the Enugu North Senatorial Zone.
This designation positions the area as a zonal centre for enterprise development, job creation and youth empowerment initiatives, said the agency.
In a related development, the Directorate announced that the second phase of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Initiative Programme will be anchored at the Skills Acquisition Centre located in Ibagwa Aka, Igbo-Eze South.
The programme, it was gathered, focuses on entrepreneurship, vocational training and support for small-scale businesses for hundreds of youths and women across the zone.
Responding, Mr Ukwueze expressed appreciation to the NDE for recognising his administration’s efforts. He assured the Directorate of the council’s readiness to provide an enabling environment for the effective implementation of the training programmes.
In his words, “Our priority remains creating opportunities for our youths, empowering them with the right skills and reducing the burden of unemployment in our communities. This recognition only strengthens our resolve to continue partnering with national and state agencies for the benefit of our people.”
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