The governor of Enugu State, Dr Peter Mbah, has commended Pastor Beloved Dan Anike, the chairman of Enugu East Local Government Area, for his empowerment programme.
The programme aims to equip youth with technological skills, foster entrepreneurship, promote scholarship, and improve employability among young people in the council area.
In his remarks at the launching/flag-off ceremony for its human capital development programme held over the weekend at the council headquarters, Nkwo Nike, the governor, praised the council chairman for the wonderful initiative aimed at preparing the youth to embrace their future and compete favourably with their peers in other climes.
Governor Mbah, whom the Secretary represented to the State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, reaffirmed his administration‘s commitment to economic participation, job creation, and transitioning the state to a tech-driven economy, stating that he will not back down from his disruptive innovation agenda.
“Governor Mbah is a big advocate of education, and we are always pleased to hear about significant educational advances. We are delighted to visit such places and share the joy of our students and community. Dr. Peter Ndubuisi Mbah is deeply committed to education, and education is central to all we do.
“I would like to recognise the Chairman of Enugu East, Pastor Beloved Dan Anike, for all his fantastic work. This Mayor is as innovative as His Excellency Dr. Peter Mbah. He has aligned with the vision of this government. We are delighted by the creative work you do. This is one of the several things you promised to do, and we are seeing all the innovations.
“We have seen how you support your workers and equally plugged corruption in this local government. Enugu State will continue to showcase its leaders who reflect and understand an alignment with the vision of Dr. Peter Ndubuisi Mbah. I congratulate the students who won the scholarships. By September 2025, all our students will attend classes and understand that there is a difference in how public schools function under Dr. Peter Mbah,” he said.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Enugu East council chairman, Pastor Dan Anike, said the human capital development programme was a bold and strategic investment in education, tech and innovation, as well as preparing the youth for global relevance, adding that it was designed to align with Africa‘s demographic advantage and ensure that the council contributes skilled professionals, digital entrepreneurs, and thought leaders to the evolving global economy.
Giving a breakdown of the programme, Anike said it included 50 scholarships to empower outstanding students with full educational support to secure a brighter future, 1,700 free WAEC registrations, 100 middle-level professionals in health and education to strengthen critical sectors with well-trained professionals to enhance service delivery, and 100 scholarships for medical, engineering, law, and software engineering studies, an investment in the next generation of specialists to drive innovation and progress.
There were 500 undergraduate bursaries, 100 postgraduate study grants to support advanced education, leadership skills and expertise in key fields; 1,000 targeted vocational skill development slots to equip youth with hands-on skills for employment, entrepreneurship, and economic growth; and 50,000 registrations into the Emerging Tech Program Africa, positioning Enugu East as a hub for digital transformation by training thousands in cutting-edge technology fields.
Anike said: „Today, Enugu East Local Government is officially flagging off the Emerging Tech Skills Program in collaboration with the Enugu State Government. This program is being offered by high-impact training institutions and over 170 universities across Europe. It will be a six-week virtual training with a Diploma Certification upon completion as negotiated by the state government. This initiative is part of the broader goal of digitally upskilling one million youth and preparing them for careers in Artificial Intelligence and Data Science, Software Development and Cybersecurity, Machine Learning and Cloud Computing, 3D Animation and Business Intelligence, etc.
“Through policy-driven human capital investment, Enugu East is not just building an inclusive city but engineering a transformation that will position its youth at the forefront of the future of work. This initiative does not just reduce poverty and increase employment; it ensures that Enugu’s young workforce becomes a competitive force in the international labour market”, he stated.
The highlights of the event were the presentation and award of cheques for the payment of WAEC fees for 1700 students in Enugu East Local Government Area, payment of bursaries to 500 undergraduates, postgraduate study grants to 100 students, and award of scholarships to 100 medical, law and software engineering studies, among other registrations and awards.
