Enugu State Governor, Dr. Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, has urged youths in the state to aggressively pursue available Federal Government opportunities, stressing that access, preparedness and strategic connections can open doors to life-changing possibilities.
Mbah, who spoke through the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, made the call at the Peter Eze Youth Connect programme organised by the Federal Character Commission (FCC) at the Enugu International Conference Centre.
The event, themed “Beyond Quotas: Unlocking Opportunities for Enugu Youths Through the Federal Character Commission,” attracted thousands of young farmers, entrepreneurs, graduates, professionals and development partners from across Enugu State.
A major highlight of the programme was the award of fully funded scholarships to five Enugu youths to study in the United States, sponsored by friends of the convener, Mr. Peter Eze, in the diaspora.
Describing the scholarships as a practical demonstration of what access and connection can achieve, Mbah said: “Five lives. Five families. Five young people whose possibilities may be completely different because somebody created a connection. That is what opportunity looks like. It is no longer an idea. It has a face.”
The governor stressed that while quotas, appointments and recruitment remained important under the Federal Character principle, access to opportunities was even more critical.
“A quota tells you what you are entitled to. Access shows you what is possible,” he stated.
Mbah cited the participation of young people from the South-East in technical and skills-development programmes in China as another example of how exposure and access could equip youths with knowledge capable of driving enterprise, employment and innovation upon their return.
He said the Peter Eze Youth Connect initiative, which links young farmers with international markets, provides career coaching and résumé guidance, and facilitates entrepreneurial connections, demonstrated how representation should ultimately translate into tangible improvements in people’s lives.
According to the governor, the state’s greatest asset remained its people, making investment in human capital central to his administration’s development agenda.
“Our greatest long-term investment must therefore be in people, who are educated, skilled, innovative, productive and globally competitive,” he said.
Mbah added: “We want an Enugu where a young person can say ‘I can build my future here, and from here I can reach the world.’”
He called for deeper collaboration among the state government, Federal Government, private sector and international partners, with young people placed at the centre of development initiatives.
The governor commended Eze for using his platform to create access and build bridges for young people, while acknowledging President Bola Tinubu for providing a national framework through which states and citizens could connect to opportunities at home and abroad.
Mbah cited the handover of Akanu Ibiam International Airport to concessionaires as one example of collaboration aimed at improving connectivity for farmers, exporters, businesses and professionals.
He also highlighted the partnership between the Nigerian Communications Commission and the Enugu State Government to develop the Federal Government’s Digital Industrial Park into an Enugu Talent City and Artificial Intelligence Institute.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the Federal Character Commission, Mrs. Ayo Omidiran, declared that Federal Government employment opportunities were open to all Nigerians and were not for sale.
Omidiran said the commission would not allow any government agency to deny any state its fair share of employment opportunities, urging young people to apply for advertised vacancies rather than assume that recruitment outcomes had already been predetermined.
Earlier, the convener of the programme, Mr. Peter Eze, urged youths to reject the belief that Federal Government jobs were already shared before vacancies were advertised.
He advised young Nigerians to prepare themselves, apply for legitimate opportunities and report anyone demanding money or gratification in exchange for government employment.
The programme brought together thousands of young farmers, entrepreneurs, graduates, career professionals and development partners, reinforcing the message that deliberate collaboration between government institutions, private organisations and international partners can create pathways for young Nigerians to access opportunities and build globally competitive careers.
