Concerned youths in Ibeno Local Government Area have called on government authorities to revive a long-abandoned skill acquisition centre in the community, describing the facility as a missed opportunity for youth empowerment and economic development.

The youths, under the umbrella of the Ibeno Youth Advocacy Network (IYAN), said the centre, reportedly constructed about 16 years ago by the Federal Government, has yet to begin operations or produce a single trainee despite significant public investment.

Speaking during a sanitation exercise at the facility, IYAN president Kofi Asuquo said the continued inactivity of the centre has resulted in economic and social losses for the oil-producing local government area.

Asuquo urged relevant authorities to prioritise the completion and activation of the project, stressing that functional vocational training programmes would help reduce unemployment, discourage youth involvement in crime, and improve the area’s internally generated revenue.

“There are people who cannot afford higher education. That skill acquisition centre would have been a place to build careers,” he said, adding that many families cannot send their children outside the community to learn trades.

He also noted that the centre’s operation could create more than 1,000 jobs and strengthen local capacity development instead of relying on external skilled labour.

According to him, Ibeno contributes significantly to state and national revenues as an oil-producing area but still lacks adequate educational and training infrastructure, including higher institutions.

Asuquo appealed to the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs to intervene and ensure the project is completed and commissioned, describing human capacity development as a critical investment for the community’s future.

He added that members of the youth network carried out the sanitation exercise to maintain the facility and demonstrate their commitment while awaiting government action to restore the centre to use.