Pecohub Abia State has generated over $3 million in sponsorship revenue from its Fashion Future Skills Acquisition Programme, less than six months after its launch.
The initiative, spearheaded by Governor Alex Otti, aims to empower young people with skills in garment making and leatherworks.
Following the success of the first phase, the state government, through the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development in partnership with Ethnosentric Ltd. has enrolled an additional 1,200 youths for the second cohort of the programme.
Speaking on the development, the State Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, said the funding came from the Mastercard Foundation after it was impressed with the quality of sportswear produced by participants, describing them as meeting or even exceeding international standards.
“This significant injection of sponsorship funds into the Abia economy is largely due to the sterling governance credentials of His Excellency, Dr. Alex Otti, OFR, and the positive perception of Abia State both within Nigeria and globally,” Kanu said.
He added that the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, in collaboration with the Ministry of Arts, Culture and Creative Economy, has also launched a creative talent hunt initiative to empower young talents in music and innovation.
Kanu also revealed that the State Executive Council has approved the doubling of its order for electric mass transit buses from 20 to 40, with corresponding increases in charging stations from 10 to 20.
According to him, the first batch of 20 electric buses is expected to arrive in November and will be deployed across Aba and Umuahia in a 12 to 8 ratio.
“The arrival of these buses will further bolster the ongoing transformation of the state’s transport sector. Construction of modern bus terminals in Aba and Umuahia is in progress, alongside junction upgrades and installation of bus shelters at strategic points,” he added.
In a separate development, the commissioner announced that an Abia resident has broken a world record by painting 275 faces in one hour, pending official recognition by the Guinness World Records.
He also disclosed that the state government is planning a grand reception for three of its daughters who were part of the victorious Falconets team that won the WAFCON championship in Morocco.
