In a move to position Abia State at the forefront of sustainable development and national transformation, the NdiAbia Communities’ Development Initiative has put in place measures aimed at empowering 1.7 million youths in the state.
Consequently, NdiAbia is officially launching ‘Youth Out Loud Abia’, a program under the Abia Communities Cooperative for Empowerment and Economic Development (ACCEED).
The Director General of NdiAbia, Rev. Chidi Jacob, in a statement on Sunday, explained that the initiative will not only drive economic growth but will also cultivate a new generation of empowered and responsible citizens dedicated to sustainable development and transformation in the state.
He added that at the heart of ACCEED lies the Abia Growth through Innovation, Leadership and Enterprise (AGILE) framework.
Victor Wilkinson Agih, Lead Sustainable development expert and impact-investment and innovation Director for the ACCEED program, assured that the decentralised model facilitates a smart impact investment cooperative empowerment network of over 170 ward-level enterprise and community development hubs and 17,000 Startup Cooperatives.
He explained that by leveraging the hubs, ACCEED creates opportunities for the next generation, enabling village-to-village strategic socio-economic engines of growth that are essential for sustainable development.
He disclosed that the programme aims to mobilize, mentor, and mainstream up to 1.7 million Abia youths as NdiAbia Community development marshals.
“These marshals will be activated and empowered across every ward in the state to lead the charge in driving economic growth, innovation, and inclusive development,” he noted.
“The initiative is more than just a program; it’s a transformative framework designed to empower emerging business ventures and foster community-driven growth across Abia State.
“Structured around the core principles of Village2Village and ward2ward citizen engagement, education, and eco-citizenship, the program is poised to significantly contribute to the state’s economy by focusing on several key sectors: the Digital economy, Creative economy, Agro-economy, Cultural economy, Green economy, Blue economy, and Orange economy.
“Furthermore, it aims to value-reorient Abia youths and redirect their energy away from rising restiveness and social vices such as drug abuse.
“NdiAbia is dedicated to mobilizing, engaging and collaborating with community impact leaders across Abia State, empowering their voices to meet the challenge of creating A New Direction of Inclusive Growth by bridging the gap between generations.”
He, therefore, called on all Abia youths to be part of the transformative journey by signing up at www.acceedcitizen.org to join the “Youth Out Loud Abia” movement to unleash their potential and become a force for positive change in their communities.
