Edo council backs vocational training to tackle youth unemployment


By Elvis Omoregie, Benin

The Executive Chairman of Esan Central Local Government Area of Edo State, Hon. Prince Abdullahi Momodu, has pledged support for an upcoming vocational empowerment training programme aimed at tackling youth unemployment and insecurity in Esan land.

The programme is designed to create employment opportunities for young people and complement the efforts of the Edo State Government, led by Governor Monday Okpebholo, to address insecurity in the state.

Momodu gave the assurance while backing the initiative, saying equipping young people with practical skills would improve their economic prospects and enable them to become productive contributors to their communities.


The programme, organised by the Centre for Moral Value and Justice in collaboration with the Edo State Ministry for Public Safety and Security, is expected to provide vocational skills and entrepreneurship opportunities for youths across the five local government areas in Esan land.

The training will be facilitated by the Nigerian Association of Engineering Craftsmen, a body affiliated with the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN).



The initiative, convened by Comrade Inegbenehi Sylvester, with Hon. Chris Okojie as co-convener, is scheduled to be officially flagged off on October 6, 2026, at the Esan West Local Government Secretariat.

The training will subsequently be decentralised across Esan West, Esan South-East, Esan North-East, Esan Central and Igueben local government areas.


Speaking on the programme, Momodu said his administration would ensure that a large number of youths from Esan Central participate in the skills acquisition initiative.

He said the council would collaborate with the organisers to facilitate broad participation, stressing that access to vocational skills could help young people secure employment, establish businesses and become economically self-reliant.



“Empowering our youths with practical skills is critical to making them economically productive and reducing their vulnerability to criminal activities,” Momodu said.

The chairman commended the organisers and the state government for supporting youth empowerment, noting that initiatives that provide legitimate economic opportunities for young people deserved the support of local government authorities.

He pledged the council’s cooperation towards the successful implementation of the programme in Esan Central and its extension to communities across the local government.


The organisers said the initiative was conceived to address youth unemployment and contribute to efforts to improve security through skills development, with beneficiaries expected to acquire vocational competencies that could lead to employment or self-employment.

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