The African Democratic Congress (ADC) said its One Nigerian, One Skill programme is designed to create jobs and lift young Nigerians out of poverty.
Former National Chairman, Dr. Ralphs Okey Nwosu who spoke at the flag-off of the programme in Abuja on Friday, said part of ADC’s philosophy is the welfare of Nigerians.
“ADC has the infrastructure to touch lives of Nigerians,” he stated, adding that while the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) uses its resources to buy votes, “we use our resources to enhance the life of Nigerians.
“We want to touch lives, not just to give people money.
“In some parties, they fight for internal welfare; they think about their own welfare. But officers of ADC are less concerned about themselves but for Nigerians.”
Nwosu said there are a lot skills the youths can benefit from, adding that the idea of impacting knowledge is the best way of empowering the people.
Former Minister of Police Affairs, Alhaji Adamu Maina Waziri, likened the One Nigerian, One Skill programme to the National Poverty Eradication Programme (NAPEP) introduced by President Olusegun Obasanjo administration.
According to him, about 330,000 young Nigerians were empowered through NAPEP’s 42 skill acquisition programmes.
He recalled that every participant was empowered with starter tools worth N10,000, but regretted that the programme was abandoned by successive governments.
ADC National Welfare Secretary, Nkem Ukandu whose office is powering the programme, explained that the aim is to empower the youths, restore the dignity to labour and liberate Nigerians from dependency and poverty through sustainable skill development.
“This initiative is designed to equip both partisans and non-partisans with practical, market-relevant skill that enable self-reliance in the face of today’s economic realities,” Ukandu stated.
He stated that two states selected from each of the six geo-political zones of the country will serve as pilot phase.
“Participants -both young and old – will receive structured training in skills of their choice, and upon successful completion, will be supported with relevant starter tools to immediately put those skills to work.”
Ukandu noted that every Nigerian is endowed with a potential, and expressed the belief that through the programme, the party would be able to provide a “platform to unlock that potential and translate it into productivity and prosperity.”
The programme is a flagship of the office of ADC National Welfare Secretary in partnership with the ADC Coalition Support Network.
