The Speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Emmanuel Ihuoma Emeruwa, has reaffirmed the commitment of the state legislature to youth empowerment, job creation and economic inclusion as he received a delegation from the Youth Economic Intervention and De-radicalization Programme (YEIDEP).
The delegation, led by Comrade Kennedy Iyere, visited the Speaker on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, alongside representatives of financial institutions partnering with the programme.
The banks represented during the visit included Fidelity Bank, Keystone Bank, Union Bank, Lotus Bank, Access Bank, United Bank for Africa (UBA), Guaranty Trust Bank (GTBank), Wema Bank, Signature Bank, Zenith Bank, Jaiz Bank and First City Monument Bank (FCMB).
Speaking with journalists during the visit, Iyere described YEIDEP as a Federal Government economic intervention initiative designed to tackle youth unemployment, poverty and the growing threat of radicalization across Nigeria.
He explained that the programme is supervised and coordinated by the Federal Ministry of Youth Development in collaboration with Youths Off The Street Initiative (YOTSI), a non-governmental organisation focused on addressing youth unemployment and poverty.
According to him, the initiative seeks to provide young Nigerians with vocational training, startup funding and business expansion capital to enable them to become self-employed and economically independent.
He identified agriculture, entertainment and other productive sectors as major areas of focus under the programme.
Expressing concern over the country’s unemployment situation, Iyere warned that the lack of meaningful economic opportunities for young people has contributed to rising insecurity, including kidnapping, banditry and other criminal activities.
He stressed the need for deliberate economic interventions to discourage young Nigerians from engaging in criminal activities and provide sustainable alternatives through entrepreneurship and employment.
Iyere further explained that participating financial institutions would be responsible for managing and disbursing programme funds, monitoring beneficiaries and providing reports on their progress.
He added that the recruitment of beneficiaries would be coordinated through the Federal Government, with implementation extending to the states.
Also speaking, the member representing Bende South State Constituency, Hon. Nnamdi Ibekwe, urged the participating banks to ensure that Abia State and the South East were not neglected in the implementation of the programme.
Ibekwe called on the financial institutions to communicate the concerns of the region to their respective headquarters, stressing that equitable access to economic opportunities would promote social justice and meaningful development.
He maintained that the initiative could become a catalyst for positive social change if implemented transparently and fairly.
Responding, Speaker Emeruwa commended the YEIDEP delegation and its banking partners for extending the initiative to Abia State.
He observed that the objectives of the programme aligned with the development agenda of Governor Alex Otti’s administration, particularly in the areas of youth empowerment, employment generation and economic inclusion.
Emeruwa assured the delegation of the support of the Abia State House of Assembly, stating that the legislature would continue to provide the necessary legislative framework to encourage initiatives aimed at improving the welfare and economic prospects of young people.
He emphasised that the Assembly remained committed to supporting policies and programmes that would create opportunities for Abia youths to become productive and financially independent.
The Speaker also commended the Federal Ministry of Youth Development and the participating financial institutions for their contributions to the initiative.
He encouraged young people across Abia State to take advantage of the opportunities offered by YEIDEP to acquire relevant skills, establish businesses and contribute meaningfully to the state’s economic development.
The visit highlighted the proposed collaboration between government institutions and financial organisations in expanding access to economic opportunities for young Nigerians.
The development was disclosed in a statement issued by Michael Uchechukwu Ogbonna, Media Aide to the Speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly.
