Governor Peter Ndubuisi Mbah of Enugu State has called on young people in the state to seize available federal government opportunities, stressing that access, connection and preparedness matter more than mere quotas and appointments.
The Governor spoke through the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, at the Peter Eze Youth Connect programme organised by the Federal Character Commission (FCC) in Enugu.
The event which held at the Enugu International conference centre, themed “Beyond Quotas: Unlocking Opportunities for Enugu Youths Through the Federal Character Commission,” attracted thousands of youths from across the state.
He described the programme as a practical demonstration of what opportunity looks like when doors are deliberately opened.
Mbah described the five fully funded scholarships to study in the United States of America received by five Enugu State youth, as sponsored by Eze’s friends in her diaspora a life-changing gesture.
“Five lives. Five families. Five young people whose possibilities may be completely different because somebody created a connection. That is what opportunity looks like. It is no longer an idea. It has a face,” he said.
He stressed that while quotas, appointments and recruitment remain important under the federal character principle, access is even more critical.
“A quota tells you what you are entitled to. Access shows you what is possible,” he stated.
He also noted a recent examples of young people from the South-East gaining access to technical and skills-development programmes in China, returning with knowledge that can drive enterprise, employment and innovation at home.
He added that the Peter Eze Youth Connect programme linking young farmers with international markets, providing career coaching and resume guidance, and creating entrepreneurial connections illustrate how representation should ultimately expand lives rather than merely place names on lists.
The Governor assured the gathering that the Enugu State Government recognised people as its greatest asset.
“Our greatest long-term investment must therefore be in people, who are educated, skilled, innovative, productive and globally competitive.
“We want an Enugu where a young person can say ‘I can build my future here, and from here I can reach the world,’” he said.
He emphasised the need for collaboration among the state government, the Federal Government, the private sector and international partners, with young people placed at the centre of the conversations.
Mbah commended Eze for using public office to create access and build bridges.
He acknowledged President Bola Tinubu for providing a national framework that enables states and citizens to connect to opportunities at home and abroad.
The Governor pointed to concrete examples of such collaboration already visible in Enugu, including the handover of Akanu Ibiam International Airport to concessionaires to enhance connectivity for farmers, exporters, businesses and professionals, as well as the partnership between the Nigerian Communications Commission and the Enugu State Government to develop the Federal Government’s Digital Industrial Park into an Enugu Talent City and Artificial Intelligence Institute.
Also speaking at the event, Chairman of the Federal Character Commission, Mrs Ayo Omidiran, declared that federal government jobs were open to all Nigerians and were not for sale.
She insisted that no agency would be allowed to deny any state its fair share of employment opportunities and urged youths to apply for advertised vacancies rather than assume outcomes are predetermined.
Earlier, the convener, Mr. Peter Eze, urged young people to reject the myth that federal jobs were already shared before advertisement.
He advised them to prepare themselves, apply for legitimate opportunities, and report anyone demanding payment or any form of gratification for government jobs.
The programme brought together thousands of young farmers, entrepreneurs, graduates, career professionals and development partners, underscoring the message that when federal institutions, state governments and private partners connect, Nigerians youths become the ultimate beneficiaries.
