The Federal Character Commission (FCC) Federal Commissioner representing Enugu State, Hon. Peter Ogbonna Eze, has moved to bridge the information gap between government opportunities and young people in the state, urging them to take advantage of legitimate employment, scholarships, grants, fellowships and training programmes available to Nigerians.
Eze stated this while delivering his welcome speech at the maiden Peter Eze Youth Connect programme, themed “Beyond Quotas: Unlocking Opportunities for Enugu Youths Through the Federal Character Commission.”
He said the initiative was born out of his determination to ensure that Enugu youths, particularly unemployed graduates and job seekers, are adequately informed about opportunities available across the Federal Public Service and other government institutions.
According to him, the programme was designed not merely as a gathering, but as a platform for connecting young people with credible information, institutions and opportunities capable of improving their economic prospects.
“Empowerment is not giving someone a handshake and taking a photograph. True empowerment is giving people the knowledge, skills, information, access and opportunities they need to stand on their own, restore their dignity and build a sustainable future,” Eze said.
He noted that more than 700 federal ministries, departments, agencies, commissions and other establishments provide employment and other opportunities across the country, stressing that the Federal Character Commission has a constitutional and statutory responsibility to promote equitable representation in federal institutions.
Eze said many young people had failed to pursue legitimate opportunities because of the widespread belief that federal government jobs were already shared or reserved for individuals with political connections before they were advertised.
He described the perception as one of the factors responsible for discouraging qualified job seekers from applying for available positions.
“No player has ever won a football match outside the pitch,” Eze said. “You can barely get an opportunity you do not apply for.”
The FCC Commissioner urged Enugu youths to reject fear, misinformation and assumptions about predetermined outcomes, stressing that they must prepare themselves, apply for opportunities and follow the established processes.
He also warned against fraudulent recruitment agents and middlemen who demand money from unsuspecting job seekers.
“You do not need to buy a job; you need to prepare yourself,” he said, adding that anyone demanding payment for a legitimate government job should be reported to the appropriate authorities.
Eze said the current leadership of the FCC, under its Executive Chairman, Hon. Mrs. Ayo Omidiran, had prioritised public enlightenment to educate Nigerians on their rights and the proper procedures for accessing federal employment opportunities.
He further highlighted the Commission’s digital platforms, particularly its website, as an important avenue for accessing reliable information and reducing the vulnerability of job seekers to fraudulent actors.
Beyond employment, Eze said the Peter Eze Youth Connect programme was deliberately structured to expose participants to international and domestic grants, scholarships, fellowships, training programmes and other opportunities for personal and economic advancement.
“There is a full scholarship opportunity for you to study abroad, and five persons will be selected among you today,” he told the participants.
Explaining the philosophy behind the initiative, Eze said his vision was to use his position and access within the FCC to create pathways through which young people could discover and pursue opportunities that could transform their lives.
“If I know that something can change the life of a young person from Enugu State, I believe that the young person should hear about it,” he said.
“If I can open a door, I should open it. If I can connect someone to the right person, I should make the connection. If I can provide information, I should provide it.”
He said although available positions in the Federal Public Service were limited, Enugu youths should not lose legitimate opportunities simply because they lacked information or access to the right channels.
Eze stressed that the programme would not be limited to a single event, but would seek to promote a sustained culture of information-sharing and opportunity access among young people in the state.
“Leadership is not about controlling access; leadership is about creating access,” he said.
He urged the participants to become ambassadors of opportunity by sharing credible information with others and helping fellow youths navigate legitimate pathways to employment and empowerment.
“When you rise, lift somebody,” Eze said. “Because the real measure of success is not how many people you passed on your way up. It is how many people you helped rise with you.”
He said the initiative would continue to promote the principles of “Connect. Inform. Equip. Empower,” while encouraging young people to become more informed, prepared and competitive.
Eze concluded by urging Enugu youths to take decisive action whenever opportunities arise, stressing that information becomes meaningful only when it is translated into preparation, application and productive action.
