Asagba, NDE Partner To Drive Youth Employment In Asaba
Asagba of Asaba Pledges Support for Youth Employment as NDE Strengthens Partnership
Monarch Reaffirms Commitment to Job Creation
THE Asagba of Asaba, His Royal Majesty Prof. Epiphany Azinge, SAN, OON, has reaffirmed his commitment to creating employment opportunities for young people in Asaba, pledging the full support of the traditional institution for initiatives aimed at reducing unemployment and promoting economic empowerment.
The monarch made the pledge while receiving the Acting Director-General of the National Directorate of Employment (NDE), Mr. Edmund Onwuliri, who paid a courtesy visit to the palace during an official assignment in Delta State.
Prof. Azinge described youth employment as a critical pillar of sustainable development, stressing that meaningful jobs remain one of the most effective tools for reducing poverty, crime and social unrest.
Employment Key to Sustainable Development
Speaking during the visit, the Asagba said the National Directorate of Employment occupies a strategic position in Nigeria’s socio-economic development agenda because of its mandate to create jobs and improve livelihoods.
He argued that the constitutional right to life can only be fully realised when citizens have access to viable means of earning a living.
According to the monarch, the objectives of the NDE align closely with his own developmental agenda, particularly his goal of facilitating the creation of at least 1,000 jobs for Asaba residents before the end of the year.
Investment Drive Beginning to Yield Results
Prof. Azinge disclosed that he had embarked on investment promotion visits to Lagos and Abuja to engage corporate organisations and relevant federal agencies on opportunities for economic development in Asaba.
He explained that discussions with major investors, including engagements with Corporate Nigeria and officials of the Nigerian Exchange, were already producing encouraging outcomes capable of generating employment opportunities.
The monarch also revealed that consultations with the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) had produced practical plans to replicate successful entrepreneurship and enterprise development initiatives in Asaba.
He noted that the palace has continued to support vocational training, skills acquisition and entrepreneurship programmes designed to prepare young people for gainful employment.
NDE Resettles Beneficiaries
Earlier, Acting Director-General of the NDE, Mr. Edmund Onwuliri, said his management team considered it important to visit the monarch while in Delta State to acknowledge the palace’s longstanding support for youth empowerment programmes.
He disclosed that the agency had successfully resettled 33 beneficiaries under Phase Two of the Renewed Hope Employment Initiative after providing them with vocational training in agriculture, entrepreneurship and public works.
According to him, the beneficiaries received equipment and support packages to enable them establish businesses and contribute meaningfully to the state’s economy.
Mr. Onwuliri further revealed that the Delta State Government had agreed to collaborate with the agency in resettling an additional 803 trainees who had already completed their programmes.
Commitment to Stronger Collaboration
The Acting Director-General commended the Asagba for his sustained interest in youth development and expressed confidence that closer collaboration between the NDE and the Asaba traditional institution would further expand employment opportunities in future phases of the Renewed Hope Employment Initiative.
Both parties reaffirmed their commitment to working together to promote entrepreneurship, skills development and sustainable job creation as part of broader efforts to improve livelihoods and stimulate economic growth across Asaba and Delta State.
