RismadarVoice Reporters
May 26, 2026
The Akwa Ibom State Government has intensified its youth empowerment programme with the commissioning of the Arise Youth Skills Centre in Oron Local Government Area, a flagship facility designed to decentralise skills acquisition and expand access to training opportunities across the state.
Governor Umo Eno, who inaugurated the centre on Tuesday, said the project is part of a broader strategy to take development closer to grassroots communities and eliminate the need for youths to travel to Uyo for empowerment programmes.
He explained that the initiative aligns with the creation of a standalone Ministry of Youth Development, established to provide focused intervention in youth-related programmes across all 31 local government areas.
According to the Governor, the state government had earlier requested each council to provide land for the establishment of similar centres, noting that several councils have already complied, with Oron emerging as one of the first to complete its facility.
He disclosed that the rollout plan covers all 31 local government areas, with implementation to be phased, adding that the first cycle of the programme is expected to be concluded ahead of further expansion in 2027.
Governor Eno stressed that the centres are strictly designed for training and empowerment purposes, warning against their use for social events or unrelated activities.
He further stated that the training modules would include ICT, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, vocational trades, fashion design, catering, and digital literacy, aimed at equipping young people with skills relevant to both local and global markets.
Under the scheme, each centre is expected to train about 1,000 youths annually, with participants drawn in batches across different training cycles. The Governor noted that the programme will be implemented in collaboration with the Ministries of Youth Development, Digital Economy, and Sports.
He added that the centres will also feature recreational and learning support systems such as e-libraries, solar-powered infrastructure, and spaces for cognitive development activities like chess and scrabble.
Speaking at the event, the Commissioner for Youth Development, Dr Ekerete Ekanem, described the project as a transformative investment in human capital development, saying it is designed to turn young people from job seekers into job creators.
He explained that each facility includes ICT hubs, multipurpose training halls, creative and media studios, enterprise kiosks, and recreational spaces, all tailored to build innovation and entrepreneurship capacity among youths.
Dr Ekanem also disclosed that welfare officers would be deployed to provide counselling services and address social challenges affecting young people, including drug abuse and related issues.
He maintained that the centres would be strictly managed as training institutions, not venues for entertainment or social gatherings, adding that proper monitoring mechanisms would be put in place to ensure effective utilisation.
The Oron centre marks a key milestone in the state’s broader effort to decentralise youth development and strengthen human capital across all local government areas.
