President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has set up series of skills acquisition programmes to unlock the potentials in South East, Nigeria.

Senior Special Assistant to the President on Community Engagement South East, Barr. Chioma Nweze disclosed this on Friday while addressing students and stakeholders of the zone during the grassroots leadership and sustainable development summit held at the University of Nigeria Enugu campus (UNEC).

According to Nweze, the skill-up South-East initiative is a four-month training programme that will equip 97 individuals with skills in tailoring and fashion design.

Nweze notes that the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda prioritizes economic stability, investment, and youth empowerment, with a focus on achieving a $1 trillion economy by 2030.

Her words: “We recognise the immense potential that lies within our region, and as SSA to the President on Community Engagement, we are committed to unlocking it.

“It’s essential to acknowledge the efforts of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration in driving this agenda.

The President’s Renewed Hope Agenda prioritizes economic stability, investment, and youth empowerment, with a focus on achieving a $1 trillion economy by 2030.

“One of the key initiatives launched by the administration is the Aso Accord on Economic and Financial Inclusion, a multi-pronged blueprint designed to achieve universal access to financial services across Nigeria.

The accord aims to bridge the significant gaps that have left millions of Nigerians, particularly underserved segments like women, youth, rural communities, and small businesses, without vital financial services.

“The Aso Accord has several key elements, including establishing a High-Level Presidential Council to spearhead reforms and drive the financial inclusion agenda as well as Innovative Solutions leveraging government-to-person (G2P) programmes to directly invest in underserved communities.

“It equally includes Financial Literacy which seeks to integrate financial literacy into the national curriculum, and Digital Infrastructure aimed at strengthening ICT infrastructure nationwide to bridge the digital divide.

“As we move forward, it’s crucial that we recognise the critical role that financial inclusion plays in driving economic empowerment and sustainable development.

By providing access to financial services, we can unlock the potential of individuals, communities, and entire nations.”

Nweze, however, tasked Nigerian youths and stakeholders of the region to invest in digital payment system: “To achieve this, we need to strengthen our financial infrastructure.

This means investing in digital payment systems, mobile money services, and agent banking to expand financial access to underserved communities.

We must also promote financial literacy by integrating financial education into school curricula and providing training programs for adults to enhance their financial management skills.

“As students, you have a critical role to play in promoting financial inclusion and economic empowerment.

You can start by acquiring the necessary skills and knowledge to navigate the financial system effectively. You can also explore innovative solutions to financial exclusion, such as mobile banking, fintech, and digital payments. By doing so, you can empower yourselves, your families, and your communities to participate fully in the economy.

“We must support micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), which are the backbone of our economy. By providing access to credit, markets, and business development services, we can empower MSMEs to grow and create jobs.

This, in turn, will drive economic growth and development, and reduce poverty and inequality, empowerment and sustainable development,” she stressed.

In a remark, the Acting vice chancellor of the University, Prof. oguejiofo Ujam who was represented by deputy vice-chancellor, Prof. Dan Nwachukwu expressed delight on the renewed hope agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, especially with the lots of programmes initiated to better the lives of students through the office of the SSA on community engagement South East region.

He applauded the student union government, SUG, of the university for executing a solar panel installation projects on Manual hotel with the aim of providing electricity to the people of the area.

The summit was attended by prominent Nigerians including the former Ambassador to Burundi, Ambassador Elijah Onyeagba amongst others.