The African Democratic Congress (ADC) yesterday asked the Federal Government to focus on skill-based empowerment programmes to tackle youth unemployment and poverty.

National Welfare Secretary Nkem Ukandu, who spoke during the memorandum of understanding (MoU) signing ceremony between the party and the Association of Skilled and Vocational Artisans of Nigeria (ASVAN) for ADC’s One Nigerian, One Kill Empowerment Initiative, said the party believes that skill-based empowerment, and not reliant on handouts, is the best opportunities to transform lives.

He said: “Our nation faces the twin challenges of unemployment and under-employment, especially among our youths. “Too many Nigerians youths graduate each year without practical, market-relevant skills that can generate income, create value and build sustainable livelihoods.

“This isn’t just a statistic, it is a reality that affects families, communities and he broader economy.” He explained that this informed the party’s decision to embark on the purposedriven empowerment programme, which is designed to equip Nigerian youths with critical skills, nurture entrepreneurship, and restore the dignity that comes with self-reliance.

According to him, the partnership with ASVAN, which he said has long championed the development of artisans and vocational workers across the country, is to help transform not only individual lives but the socio-economic landscape of the country.

“ASVAN is much more than a trade body, it is a grassroots engine of empowerment for millions of skilled Nigerians,” Ukandu said, noting that the organisation has, through partnership with United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), brought management and business training to artisans nationwide.

He added: “This broad mandate – to equip, certify and position artisans as valuable contributors to national development – makes ASVAN the ideal technical and implementation partner for our One Nigerian, One Skill programme.