By Sabastine Gabriel
The Enugu North Local Government Area officially inducted over 130 residents into the Skill-Up Project on Monday, August 11, 2025.
The event marked the culmination of a free vocational training initiative launched in June 2025, aimed at empowering community members with practical skills for self-reliance and economic growth.
The Skill-Up Project, organized by the administration of Dr. Ibenaku Harford Onoh in collaboration with the Potter’s Wheel Foundation and Copen Academy, focused on trades such as bricklaying, electrical installation, plumbing, tiling, baking, and entrepreneurial ventures.
The program spans six months, comprising three months of intensive training and three months of mentorship and field experience.
In his address, the Executive Chairman of Enugu North LGA, Dr. Onoh, emphasized the project’s goal of broad-based empowerment, promising that subsequent batches will continue to benefit more residents.
He highlighted the alignment of the initiative with Governor Peter Ndubuisi Mbah’s developmental strategy of experiential learning and economic emancipation.
“This is a grassroots adoption of Governor Peter Ndubuisi Mbah’s-led state administration’s approach of experiential learning and economic emancipation of the people,”he said.
Dr. Onoh praised the dedication of the beneficiaries and assured ongoing support, while also acknowledging Governor Mbah’s leadership in fostering such initiatives.
Hon. Chijioke Diogu, the Senior Special Assistant on Strategy and Implementation, commended the project for transforming beneficiaries from consumers to producers, contributing positively to the local economy.
Mrs. Adaora Oji, the SSA on WASH and Donor Relations, urged participants to take the training seriously, emphasizing the importance of economic independence.
Representatives from partner organizations and some beneficiaries shared testimonies, expressing gratitude and optimism about the impact of the initiative. They committed to applying their skills diligently and contributing to community development.
The Potter’s Wheel Foundation segment of the program emphasizes entrepreneurial skills and small-scale production, including baking and detergent manufacturing, providing beneficiaries with avenues for sustainable livelihoods.
Everydaynews reports that the induction ceremony underscored the government’s commitment to grassroots economic empowerment and sustainable development, with plans for future training batches to ensure wider community benefit
