The Delta State Commissioner for Youth Development and Special Projects, Barr. Brave Enodeh, has reaffirmed the commitment of the Governor Sheriff Oborevwori-led administration to empowering young people and improving their welfare.
Enodeh stated this in an interview to mark the 2026 International Youth Day, themed “Different Contexts, Common Aspirations.”
He noted that while young people may pursue different careers and have diverse aspirations, they share a common desire for a better and more prosperous future.
According to the Commissioner, whether a young person aspires to become a doctor, lawyer, accountant, mechanic, fisherman or other professional, government has a responsibility to create an enabling environment for such aspirations to be achieved.
He stressed that the Federal, State and Local Governments all have important roles to play in youth development, noting that the Delta State Government had placed youth empowerment at the centre of its development agenda.
Enodeh said Governor Oborevwori had directed the Ministry of Youth Development to focus on entrepreneurship, skills acquisition and other productive programmes capable of making young people self-reliant.
He said the administration was committed to engaging youths in all areas, particularly through entrepreneurship, personal skills development and economic empowerment.
The Commissioner also stressed the importance of meaningful youth engagement in preventing crime and other social vices, warning that unemployed and neglected young people could become vulnerable to criminal activities.
He disclosed that the state government had invested substantially in skills acquisition facilities, adding that modalities for accessing the facilities and benefiting from the programmes would soon be made available, particularly to young people.
Enodeh called for greater visibility for the Ministry of Youth Development, saying youths should be able to identify with the ministry as an institution established to protect their interests and promote their development.
He explained that the ministry was adopting a new approach in which youth-related programmes would be coordinated through the Ministry of Youth Development to ensure that opportunities intended for young people reached the right beneficiaries.
The Commissioner further clarified that youth development programmes were meant for both young men and women, stressing that the ministry had moved away from the old perception that “youths” referred only to young men.
He urged young people to take advantage of government initiatives in skills acquisition, entrepreneurship and financial assistance rather than allowing unemployment and social pressures to discourage them.
On the growing trend of migration popularly known as “Japa,” Enodeh appealed to youths to reconsider the belief that better opportunities and a good life could only be found outside Nigeria.
He maintained that Nigeria, particularly Delta State, has numerous opportunities that could be developed through skills, entrepreneurship and productive engagement.
The Commissioner also encouraged young people to develop positive attitudes towards work and entrepreneurship, regardless of the nature of legitimate jobs available to them.
He disclosed that the Delta State Government had supported some returnees from South Africa with financial assistance to help them reintegrate into society and establish sustainable livelihoods.
Enodeh further encouraged youths who feel shy, intimidated or afraid to approach government to overcome such barriers and make their needs known.
He assured that the Ministry of Youth Development would operate an open-door policy, adding that government would not simply wait for young people to approach it but would also reach out to them in their various communities.
“If you are not coming to us, we are coming for you,” the Commissioner said, stressing that the objective was to ensure that no young person was left behind.
He urged Delta youths to remain hopeful, acquire relevant skills, pursue legitimate opportunities and take advantage of programmes provided by the state government.
Enodeh reiterated that the government recognises the importance of young people and is committed to creating opportunities that will enable them to contribute meaningfully to the development of Delta State and Nigeria.
“Delta youths, my message is that you should come to us. The governor has said it: his mission is to empower the youths. Whether you are a boy or a girl, come to the ministry and show yourself to the state. You are valuable, and the government loves you.