Stakeholders have lauded the passing into law the Youth Development Fund Bill by the Government of Akwa Ibom State as a step in the right direction towards addressing the state’s problem of capacity building.
The development, they said, would help the state to solve the endemic problem of limited manpower, which is regarded as the bane of developing economies like Nigeria.
The new law would position the state to diversify from oil and gas to other sectors like Information Communication Technology (ICT), agro-allied industries with the youth as the drivers of this new economic narrative.
Speaking on its significance, the Speaker of Akwa Ibom State Assembly, Onofiok Luke, said that the passage of the Youth Development Fund Bill has demonstrated that the state is desirous to carry everybody along.
He also added that the enactment has the capacity to transform the state to one of manpower exporter, especially in the non-oil and gas-based sector.
“The bill is designed to create jobs and build capacity and also bring forth greater opportunities for our teeming youths,” he said.
The bill, sponsored by Ekpenyong Emmanuel, from Ini Constituency and leader of Youth Alive Foundation, had the backing of the ICT community in the state including Start Innovation Hub.
Hanson Johnson, founder and Chief Executive Officer, Start Innovation Hub, added that the bill would cater for the youths by creating a sustainable youth policy framework.
“I commend the leadership of Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly for their commitment to youth development in the state by passing the Youth Development Fund Bill into law,” he said.
READ ALSO: Foundation empowers IDPs on shoe making, leather work skills
“I was happy when I learnt that the bill has been passed into law. Youth Development Fund Bill is one of the vital tools that would be of help to the governor.
“We congratulate the government for taking this initiative, the impact of this bill would be massive and it would help the state to achieve its ambition in diversifying the state to other viable non-energy sectors.
“The bill would reduce the growing level of militancy in youths and checkmate restiveness.”
Hanson, who observed that the bill would be looking at funding start-ups apart from capacity building in the state, further disclosed: “I am working directly with young people and I know youths in the state who have shown a lot of promises and have developed prototypes of their ideas but are unable to scale or launch because of paucity of funds. This is what this bill would address.”
He is optimistic that the new development will help to nurture successful entrepreneurs in Akwa Ibom in the coming years.
“With the law in place, we are envisaging a better future for our youths, if well handled,” concluded Hanson.
