NEWS
Aba North Mayor, Timothy Iheke Challenges TechRise Graduates to Turn Digital Skills Into Jobs, Empowerment
The Executive Chairman of Aba North Local Government Area, Hon. Timothy Kalu Iheke, has challenged graduates of the Abia TechRise Cohort 3 to transform the digital skills they acquired into opportunities for themselves and others, urging them to become trainers, innovators and job creators.
Hon. Iheke gave the charge on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, when he received TechRise Cohort 3 graduates from Aba North in his office.
Welcoming the young digital professionals, the Mayor congratulated them on successfully completing the programme and urged them to take their newly acquired skills seriously, stressing that the knowledge could take them much further than they might currently imagine.
He encouraged the graduates to use their skills to market themselves, create opportunities and empower others rather than waiting solely for government employment. He described the TechRise initiative as a more sustainable form of empowerment because it equips beneficiaries with knowledge and skills that can continue to generate value.
According to him, the essence of the programme is not merely to provide temporary relief but to equip young people with the capacity to become self-reliant and contribute meaningfully to their families and the society.
The Mayor also drew attention to the recently concluded 2926 August Women Meeting in Aba North, where women were empowered with sewing machines. He explained that the objective was to enable the beneficiaries to support their families and communities, noting that such interventions ultimately help government achieve its empowerment goals.
Hon. Iheke urged the TechRise graduates to keep the momentum going by sharing what they had learned and using their knowledge to positively influence others. Making a biblical reference to God’s call to Abraham to become a blessing and a light to others, the Mayor encouraged the graduates to replicate the same principle by carrying the knowledge and opportunities they had received wherever they go.
He noted that rebuilding society requires people who are committed to making a positive difference, stressing that the same way it took people to damage systems and institutions, it would take committed and responsible citizens to restore them.
The Mayor further praised the speed of the administration of His Excellency, Dr. Alex Otti, OFR, noting that the government is moving rapidly in its development agenda.
He urged the graduates to carry the lessons and inspiration from their training into their future endeavours, emphasizing that the present generation is operating in an era increasingly driven by Artificial Intelligence (AI) and rapid technological advancement.
Hon. Iheke said he wanted to be proud of the graduates and urged them to continue giving their best so they could make Aba North and Abia State proud.
Using the biblical account of Lot’s wife as another lesson, he advised the young people not to look back or return to the limitations they had left behind, but to remain focused on the opportunities ahead and the future they were expected to build.
In a practical demonstration of his commitment to supporting the graduates, the Mayor immediately engaged some participants trained in Enterprise Python: Backend Development and Fullstack Web Development with JavaScript to develop a website for the Aba North Local Government Council.
He directed the selected graduates to prepare and submit their proposal for the project, creating an immediate opportunity for them to apply their newly acquired technical skills in a real-world assignment.
The Mayor also pledged to sponsor one of the participants who disclosed that financial difficulties had prevented her from pursuing her university education.
He further directed participants who had unresolved issues with the programme’s organisers to bring their complaints to him so they could be channelled to the appropriate authorities for attention.
Also speaking, the Deputy Mayor of Aba North LGA, Hon. Christian Chijioke Ogbuisi, encouraged the graduates to demonstrate appreciation for the opportunities provided by the administration by contributing to the continued development of Abia State.
He urged them to participate actively in the coming elections and protect their votes, while also encouraging them to mobilise others to participate in the democratic process.
Hon. Ogbuisi also pledged support to the participant who disclosed that financial constraints had prevented her from gaining admission to the university.
In his vote of thanks, the Cohort 3 Coordinator for Aba North participants, Mr. Godslove, expressed appreciation to the Mayor for his encouragement and support throughout their training.
He assured the Mayor that the graduates would make Aba North proud by putting their skills to productive use and transforming the knowledge acquired through TechRise into opportunities and empowerment for themselves and others.
The Mayor concluded the engagement by praying for the graduates and committing them into the hands of God Almighty as they begin the next phase of their careers.
The Abia TechRise Cohort 3 programme trained youths in several areas, including Cybersecurity, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, Creative Arts with 2D and 3D Animation, Enterprise Python: Backend Development, and Fullstack Web Development with JavaScript, among other digital skills.
A total of 850 youths graduated from Cohort 3, representing participants selected from the 17 local government areas of Abia State. The State Government also approved ₦100,000 for each of the 850 graduates, while all participants were allowed to retain the laptops provided for their training.
19 of the best-performing graduates were further rewarded with automatic employment into the Abia State Civil Service.
The Abia TechRise programme is designed to strengthen Abia’s digital workforce while creating pathways to employment, entrepreneurship and innovation.
According to officials, the first three cohorts of the TechRise initiative have collectively trained 2,210 youths.
The meeting was attended by the Head of Service of Aba No
rth Local Government Council and aides to the Mayor