Five youths from Enugu State have been awarded fully funded scholarships to study in the United States as Governor Peter Mbah urged young people across the state to actively pursue employment, education and skills-development opportunities.
The governor made the call through the Secretary to the State Government, Professor Chidiebere Onyia, at the Peter Eze Youth Connect programme organised by the Federal Character Commission, FCC, in Enugu.
The event, themed “Beyond Quotas: Unlocking Opportunities for Enugu Youths Through the Federal Character Commission,” was held at the Enugu International Conference Centre and attracted thousands of youths, graduates, entrepreneurs, farmers, professionals and development partners from across the state.
The five fully funded scholarships were sponsored by friends of Peter Eze in the diaspora and were described as a potentially life-changing opportunity for the beneficiaries and their families.
Representing the governor, Onyia said access, preparation and meaningful connections were essential to unlocking the potential of young people.
Mbah emphasised that while the federal character principle provides for fair representation in government appointments and recruitment, young people must also be prepared and positioned to take advantage of available opportunities.
According to him, “A quota tells you what you are entitled to. Access shows you what is possible.”
The governor cited the five scholarship awards as an example of how meaningful connections could translate into tangible opportunities for young people.
He said the beneficiaries represented five lives and families whose futures could be transformed because someone created a connection that opened a door for them.
Mbah also referenced technical and skills-development programmes in China through which young people from the South-East have acquired new expertise, expressing optimism that their return would contribute to enterprise, innovation and development in the region.
He highlighted other initiatives under the Peter Eze Youth Connect programme, including efforts to link young farmers with international markets and provide career guidance to youths.
The governor further pointed to developing partnerships in Enugu, including the concession of Akanu Ibiam International Airport aimed at improving trade and connectivity, as well as a collaboration between the Nigerian Communications Commission and the Enugu State Government to transform a Federal Government Digital Industrial Park into an Enugu Talent City and Artificial Intelligence Institute.
Speaking at the event, FCC Chairman, Mrs Ayo Omidiran, warned youths against falling victim to individuals who demand money in exchange for Federal Government jobs.
Omidiran stressed that Federal Government employment opportunities are open to every qualified Nigerian and that no government position is for sale.
She said the commission would challenge any government agency that denies a state its rightful share of employment opportunities.
The FCC chairman urged young Nigerians to apply whenever vacancies are officially advertised rather than assume that recruitment outcomes had already been predetermined.
The convener of the programme, Mr Peter Eze, also encouraged youths to adequately prepare themselves, apply for genuine opportunities and report anyone demanding money in exchange for government employment.
The programme underscored the importance of moving beyond discussions about quotas and representation to creating practical pathways through which young people can access education, employment, entrepreneurship and skills development opportunities.
