The People's Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Ebonyi State, Ifeanyi Odii, has presented his plans to address the issue of child labour, hawking, and domestic work in the state. During a national television program, Odii highlighted youth empowerment, education, and skills development as key components of his proposed administration. He identified poverty and unemployment as primary factors driving families to send children away from home to work as domestic helpers or engage in street hawking.
Odii's administration plans to establish skills-acquisition centres across Ebonyi State to provide young people with practical training, leading to employment and self-employment opportunities. The centres will offer training in areas such as carpentry, POP installation, tailoring, animal husbandry, fishery, and other vocational skills. This initiative aims to equip young people with skills to become economically independent and reduce the reliance on child labour.
The proposed programme will cover all 13 local government areas of Ebonyi State, with each local government having facilities capable of accommodating about 3,000 people. This translates to approximately 39,000 Ebonyians benefiting from the programme. Odii emphasized that addressing the problem of child labour requires a comprehensive approach that tackles poverty and inadequate access to education.
Odii linked the issue of child labour to the broader challenge of poverty and limited access to education. He promised to prioritize education, including scholarships and improved learning environments, to enable children to remain in school rather than being forced into economic activities at an early age. By investing in education, Odii aims to reduce the pressure on families to send children away for domestic work.
In addition to education and skills development, Odii's administration plans to invest in agriculture, healthcare, and job creation as part of a broader strategy to reduce household poverty. He argued that creating a productive local economy would provide families with greater opportunities to keep their children in school and reduce the pressure to send them away for domestic work.
Odii highlighted Ebonyi's significant agricultural and mineral resources, which can be developed to create jobs and improve household incomes. He proposed increased investment in mechanized farming, rural roads, skills development, and policies designed to attract private-sector investors into the state. By empowering youths economically, Odii believes that unemployment and vulnerability to exploitation can be reduced.
The PDP candidate emphasized that addressing child labour requires a multi-faceted approach that goes beyond prohibition. He advocated for policies that tackle the economic conditions that make child labour possible. Odii's comments form part of his broader campaign message ahead of the 2027 Ebonyi governorship election, in which he prioritizes poverty reduction, human-capital development, employment, and economic diversification.
Key points
- Ifeanyi Odii plans to establish skills-acquisition centres across Ebonyi State to provide young people with practical training.
- Odii's administration aims to address poverty and inadequate access to education to reduce child labour.
- The proposed programme will cover all 13 local government areas of Ebonyi State, benefiting approximately 39,000 people.
