…Oborevwori Admonishes Delta Youths
BY EBI NIEKETIEN/AMAYINDI YAKUBU
DELTA State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, has charged youths across the state to take ownership of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and lead transformative actions in their communities.
The Governor made the call in Asaba during the commemoration of the 2025 International Youth Day with the theme: “Local Youth Action for Sustainable Development Goals and Beyond”.
Oborevwori, who was represented by the Commissioner for Transport, Mr. Onoriode Agofure, described young people as not just leaders of tomorrow, but also change makers of today, stressing that their energy, creativity and leadership were critical to the attainment of the SDGs.
He stressed that through the MORE Agenda, the state government was creating the space for young people to thrive by investing in education, skills development and entrepreneurship programmes such as Delta State Youth Empowerment Schemes, which according to him, has opened doors for job innovations and sustainable growth.
The governor further noted that the state’s Information Technology and Youth Empowerment Programme (ICTF) offers three learning tracks- Startup Academy, ICT for self-employment, and digital media skills.
He revealed that over 300 youths from across the 25 local government areas had been trained in key ICT fields, including coding, cyber-security, and artificial intelligence.
While acknowledging challenges such as poverty, unemployment, and climate change, Oborevwori expressed optimism that they could be surmounted with collective effort. He encouraged youths to engage in simple but impactful actions such as planting trees, mentoring peers, and advocating for inclusion.
Speaking at the event, the Commissioner for Youth Development described the celebration as significant for the state, noting that government policies were aligning the talents and creativity of young people with the global vision of sustainable development.
He disclosed that the ministry recently carried out a community service project, the BOB-a-bee Cleaning Exercise, in Asaba, which falls under SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation. The exercise, he said, emphasized the importance of clean environments, safe water, and proper sanitation as the foundation of healthy living and community well-being. The commissioner commended Governor Oborevwori for his commitment to youth empowerment, citing the recent release of ₦1 billion counterpart funding to drive the attainment of the SDGs in the state. There were goodwill messages from the Head of Service, Mininim Oseji, who urged youths to embrace volunteerism as a pathway to personal and societal development, as well as representatives of the Chief of Staff, the Commissioner for Science and Technology, Hon. Daniel Odinigwe; Commissioner for Primary Education, Dr. Kingsley Ashibuogwu; and Commissioner for Technical Education, Mr. Smart Ufoh, among others.
