By Mercy Onyenweli

The Edo State Government has intensified efforts to tackle youth unemployment and promote economic independence, with over 500 young people already benefiting from skills acquisition programmes and another 2,000 expected to be trained through a partnership with the Industrial Training Fund (ITF).

The Commissioner for Youth Affairs, Hon. Charity Amayaenvbo, disclosed this during a press briefing to commemorate the 2026 International Youth Day in Benin City.

He said the administration of Governor Senator Monday Okpebholo had moved beyond promises to practical interventions aimed at creating opportunities for young people across the state.

According to the commissioner, the government considers young people not merely as beneficiaries of its programmes but as critical partners in the development of Edo State.

“Youth development must move beyond speeches and promises to practical governance that creates skills, jobs, responsibility, access, security, participation and opportunities,” he said.

Amayaenvbo noted that the widening gap between education and employment had made it imperative for the government to invest heavily in technical and vocational education.

He explained that through the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programme and other related interventions, more than 500 youths had been equipped with practical skills to improve their employability and encourage entrepreneurship.

The commissioner also revealed that the state’s collaboration with the Industrial Training Fund under the SUPA programme would provide structured vocational training for more than 2,000 youths.

He further disclosed that over 1,000 Edo youths had secured employment and professional development opportunities through the Nigerian Jubilee Fellows Programme.

Speaking on agriculture, Amayaenvbo said the government had repositioned the sector as a viable business capable of generating employment and strengthening food security.

He added that young people were also being engaged through the Edo State Corps and the Forest Guards initiative to enhance community security while creating additional employment opportunities.

Amayaenvbo described the emergence of young people in local government leadership positions as a clear demonstration of Governor Okpebholo’s commitment to youth inclusion.

According to him, more than two-thirds of elected local government chairmen in the state are young people, reflecting the administration’s determination to entrust the younger generation with leadership responsibilities.

He also highlighted the state’s support for youth participation in international leadership and development programmes in the United States, Portugal and South Africa.

Despite the achievements recorded so far, the commissioner acknowledged that unemployment, limited access to finance, cultism, drug abuse, cybercrime and irregular migration remained major challenges confronting many young people.

He urged youths to take advantage of available opportunities by acquiring skills, embracing technology and exploring entrepreneurship and agriculture.

“Your circumstances today do not determine the limits of your tomorrow. Acquire a skill, develop your talents, seek knowledge and stay away from cultism, drugs, violence and crime,” she advised.

In his remarks, the Chairman of the Edo State Youth Council, Comrade Agueide , called on governments at all levels to formulate policies that would positively impact the welfare and development of young people.

He commended the Governor for his immense support to Youths empowerment in the state and appeal that the well-being of Youths should be prioritized..

The Special Adviser to the Governor on Student Affairs and Mobilisation, Victor Ureshemi Akande, appealed to young people to continue supporting the present administration in order to enjoy the dividends of
democracy.

According to him, the President had continued to support students through the NELFUND programme and called for greater support for the governments of President Bola Tinubu and Governor Monday Okpebholo .

Similarly, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Youth Mobilisation and Strategy, Christopher Udobor Iyase, urged youths to remain focused on education and personal development to discover their talents and contribute meaningfully to the development of Edo State and Nigeria.

The event was attended by youth coordinators from the 18 local government areas of the state, top government officials and other stakeholders from the Ministry of Youth Affairs.