Mbah Charges Enugu Youths On Federal Opportunities

Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State has advised young people in the state to seize available federal government opportunities.

He stressed that access, connection and preparedness matter more than mere quotas and appointments.

The governor spoke through the Secretary to the State Government, Prof 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,” attracted thousands of youths from across the state.

He described the programme as a practical demonstration of what opportunity looks like when doors are deliberately opened.

Mbah described the five fully funded scholarships to study in the United States of America received by five Enugu State youth, sponsored by Eze’s friends in diaspora, as a life-changing gesture.

“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,” he said.

He stressed that while quotas, appointments and recruitment remain important under the federal character principle, access is even more critical.

“A quota tells you what you are entitled to. Access shows you what is possible,” he stated.

He also noted a recent examples of young people from the South-East gaining access to technical and skills-development programmes in China, returning with knowledge that can drive enterprise, employment and innovation at home.

He added that the Peter Eze Youth Connect programme linking young farmers with international markets, providing career coaching and resume guidance, and creating entrepreneurial connections illustrate how representation should ultimately expand lives rather than merely place names on lists.

The governor assured the gathering that the Enugu State Government recognised people as its greatest asset.

“Our greatest long-term investment must therefore be in people, who are educated, skilled, innovative, productive and globally competitive.

“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 said.

He emphasised the need for collaboration among the state government, the Federal Government, the private sector and international partners, with young people placed at the centre of the conversations.

Mbah commended Eze for using public office to create access and build bridges.

He acknowledged President Bola Tinubu for providing a national framework that enables states and citizens to connect to opportunities at home and abroad.