The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has initiated a skill acquisition programme, titled One Nigerian, One Skill, to create jobs and lift young Nigerians out of poverty.
At the flag-off on Friday, former National Chairman of the party, Dr Ralphs Okey Nwosu, said the programme is part of ADC’s philosophy for the welfare of Nigerians.
“ADC has the infrastructure to touch the lives of Nigerians,” Nwosu stated, adding that while the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) uses its resources to buy votes during elections, “we use our resources to enhance the lives of Nigerians.
“We want to touch lives, not just to give people money.
“In some parties, they fight for internal welfare; they think about their own welfare. But officers of ADC are less concerned about themselves, but for Nigerians.”
He noted that there are a lot of skills the youths can benefit from, adding that the idea of imparting knowledge is the best way of empowering people.
Also speaking, former Minister of Police Affairs, Alhaji Adamu Maina Waziri, likened the One Nigerian, One Skill programme to the National Poverty Eradication Programme (NAPEP) introduced by President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration.
According to him, about 330,000 young Nigerians were empowered through NAPEP’s 42 skill acquisition programmes.
He recalled that every participant was empowered with starter tools worth N10,000, but regretted that the programme was abandoned by successive governments.
ADC National Welfare Secretary, Nkem Ukandu whose office is powering the programme, explained that the aim is to empower the youths, restore the dignity to labour and liberate Nigerians from dependency and poverty through sustainable skill development.
“This initiative is designed to equip both partisans and non-partisans with practical, market-relevant skills that enable self-reliance in the face of today’s economic realities,” Ukandu stated.
He stated that two states selected from each of the six geopolitical zones of the country will serve as the pilot phase.
“Participants -both young and old – will receive structured training in skills of their choice, and upon successful completion, will be supported with relevant starter tools to immediately put those skills to work.”
Ukandu noted that every Nigerian is endowed with potential, and expressed the belief that through the programme, the party would be able to provide a “platform to unlock that potential and translate it into productivity and prosperity.”
The programme is a flagship of the office of ADC National Welfare Secretary in partnership with the ADC Coalition Support Network.
