The Rivers State Government has reaffirmed its commitment to youth empowerment with the inauguration of an ultra-modern Adolescent and Young People (AYP) Innovation Hub, designed to equip young people with practical skills for employment and entrepreneurship.
The state Commissioner for Health, Dr Adaeze Ure, disclosed this on Thursday during the unveiling of the facility in Fimie community, Port Harcourt City Local Government Area. She described the hub as a strategic investment aimed at addressing youth unemployment, vulnerability and related social challenges.
According to Ure, the AYP Innovation Hub was established through a partnership between the Rivers State Government and the United States Centres for Disease Control (CDC) in Nigeria, implemented by the Institute of Human Virology, Nigeria (IHVN), and Project Hope. She noted that the initiative aligns with Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s development agenda, particularly in strengthening the HIV response while building a resilient, skilled and productive youth population.
She explained that adolescents and young people make up a significant proportion of the state’s population but continue to face challenges such as limited access to employable skills, unemployment, social vulnerability and health risks, especially in the area of sexual and reproductive health.
“This centre is comprehensively equipped to provide diverse skills and training using state-of-the-art facilities in ICT and robotics, arts development, media, beauty and other vocational skills,” Ure said.
She added that the hub also offers counselling services, food technology, digital innovation, entrepreneurship training and health services, reflecting a holistic approach to youth development.
Speaking at the event, the Chief Operating Officer and Managing Director of IHVN, Dr Charles Mensah, commended the state government for prioritising youth welfare and empowerment. He disclosed that the programme would accommodate no fewer than 50 trainees per six-month batch, with beneficiaries receiving start-up kits upon completion to support business creation.
“Today, we are commissioning and transitioning the AYP Innovation Hub from a foreign-funded project to a state-owned and sustained initiative. The Rivers State Government provided the land and building, while funding from the US CDC and Crime Prevention supported renovation and equipping of the facility,” Mensah said.
He added that despite changes in US funding priorities, Project Hope provided additional support to ensure the centre becomes fully operational.
The Programme Operations Manager of Project Hope, Mrs Adeola Seweje, described the hub as a holistic solution to youth unemployment and vulnerability, noting that the programme’s first phase recorded positive outcomes.
“This is phase two, and we hope it will attract more funding to strengthen sustainability and expand impact,” she said.
Earlier, the Paramount Ruler of Fimie Kingdom, Dr Bernard Fimie, expressed appreciation to the state government and its partners for bringing the project to the community. He pledged to safeguard the facility and encourage young people to take advantage of the opportunities it offers to improve their livelihoods and contribute to community development.
