By Olasunkanmi Akoni

The All Progressives Congress, APC, Professional Council said that plans have concluded plans to empower 35,000 young Nigerians, saying youth empowerment is critical and essential to the sustenance, growth, and development of any nation.

The Director General of the ruling party’s, support group, Dr. Seyi Bamigbade, who disclosed to newsmen in Lagos on Sunday, noted the initiative has become imperative as the youth constitute part of the working citizens with the strength and energy to contribute to the development of the country.

He said, “In line with the feasibility studies carried out by various developmental experts, its generally accepted that to have functional and sustainable development in Nigeria there is a need for the youth to be empowered with viable skills.

“It’s on the above premise that the Professionals Council of the All Progressives Congress is embarking on providing training and succour for 37,000 youths on skills with soft loan and empowerment across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory,” Bamigbade said.

He stated that the one week training would help to enhance the capacity of graduates, unemployed, and the vulnerable in entrepreneurship and business skills.

Bamigbade, said the training has been designed and will be delivered by the skilled and experienced technical and team of experts on vocational skills and supports from specialized government institutions that knows that some class of people only need knowledge that can put food on their table.

He stated that the participants would be provided with the knowledge, skills, and correct entrepreneurship attitudes in line with the best global practices with business plan, identification of business opportunities, selling and marketing strategies, accessing business finance, customer care, and legal regulatory issues on website design.

Other areas he said include: Online marketing, fashion design and tailoring, leather works, photography, hair dressing, block/brick making, GSM repairs, makeup and Tilling, dry cleaning business, crop farming, fish farming, poultry, animal husbandry GSM repairs and graphics design and lots of others.

The Director General said the empowerment would be held across the three senatorial districts of each state and the seven local council of the Federal Capital Territory.

While urging Nigerian youths to take advantage of the programme, Bamigbade said the application into the training would not be based on party, ethnic or religious affiliations.

The only criterion according to him is to be a Nigerian, while application form would be available online across the 109 senatorial districts of the country.