Adamawa Deputy Governor, Professor Kaletapwa George Farauta, has called on youths to lead the drive for entrepreneurial development as a means of addressing poverty in the state.
Speaking at a Youth Entrepreneurship Summit held at the American University of Nigeria (AUN), Yola, Farauta encouraged young people to harness creativity and innovative ideas to combat unemployment.
Represented at the event by Hajiya Hauwa Ali Banu, Director of Administration in the Deputy Governor’s Office, the deputy governor emphasized that youths, who make up over 60 percent of the population, can leverage entrepreneurial skills to reduce poverty in Nigeria.
Banu highlighted that the Adamawa State Government has introduced policies and programs under the Poverty Alleviation and Wealth Creation Agency (PAWECA) aimed at creating jobs for over 20,000 youths and women.
The programs cover sectors such as mechanical and automotive engineering, electrical repairs, welding, GSM maintenance, renewable energy, carpentry, tiling, POP work, solar energy installations and repairs, tailoring, and fashion design.
She also noted that the Civil Service Commission is currently recruiting 5,000 state employees, mostly youths, to address unemployment across various government ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs). In addition, 5,000 teachers will be employed to strengthen the state’s free education system.
In a move to further boost human capital development, Banu revealed that the first batch of 100 postgraduate scholarship students has departed for Turkey to pursue master’s degrees in Engineering, ICT, Architecture, and Medical Sciences.
Banu stressed the importance of education, saying, “We can collectively or individually increase our chances of making Nigeria better in all facets of human endeavor. It is the power of creative thinking and ideas that can lift us out of poverty. Education must remain a prime agenda as it forms the foundation of our society.”
Maryam Mohammed Kolo, President of the forum, commended the participants and urged them to implement the innovative measures shared by the resource persons.
An award recognizing efforts in empowering women and youths was presented to the deputy governor during the event.