ARC-P investment, not a waste- Ondo First Lady

..flags-off 3 weeks training of 580 Facilitators

..Ondo, first Southern State to key in- FG

The First Lady of Ondo State, Chief Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu, has affirmed that the state government’s investment in the At-Risk-Children Project by providing counterpart funding, was never a waste.

She maintained that no amount of money invested in any programmes geared towards the uplift of youths is a waste, saying they would transform their immediate society with the outcome of the investment.


Mrs. Akeredolu made this statement at the Government Technical College, Owo, during the opening ceremony of a three week training for AT-RISK-CHILDREN PROJECT(ARC-P)’s Facilitators, who were shortlisted from the 18 local government areas of Ondo State.


As the Chairperson of the State’s Advisory Committee of the Project, the wife of the Governor averred that keying into the programme was a best decision made by the state government.

According to her, ARC-P is one of the solutions to youth unemployment in the country, noting that Governor Akeredolu’s interest and commitment to poverty eradication formed his conviction to embrace the project.


“We have come to the recognition that all is not well and we need to find solutions, and ARC-P is one of such solutions.

“Let’s invest in these youths because they’ll be the ones that will transform Ondo state.” She said.

Addressing the Facilitators, the Ondo First Lady, said: “You are the future of this country, we cannot afford to fold our arms and get you wasted.
“The curriculum of this project is loaded, and make sure you don’t joke with it; I can see all of you are highly-spirited and I see no reason why any of you will fall back and start looking for who will give you one thousand or five thousand naira, or who will help you pay school fees because some of you are having children; It’s bye-bye to poverty, if you are serious.

” It’s just an amazing opportunity for all of you to take. Embrace whatever you are being taught here with full chest. “

In her welcome address, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Gender who doubles as the Project Lead, Mrs. Olamide Falana disclosed that a total number of 580 facilitators were shortlisted for the ARC-P programme across the 18 local government areas of the state.


She affirmed that necessary logistics had been put in place to give them maximum comfort, including stand-by medical team, and provision of three square meals per day.

Giving an overview of the project, the Special Adviser to the President on Social Investment, Hajia Maryam Uwais, applauded the Ondo State government for being the first among Southern States to key into the programme.

Represented by Mrs. Grace Obi-Ukpabi, she acknowledged the excellent intellectual capacity of Ondo youths showcased in their performance in the Computer-based test conducted to select facilitators.

In attendance were members of the ARC-P Advisory Committee, including the Commissioners for Women Affairs, Dr. Mrs Juliana Osadahun, for Economic Planning and Bugdet, Pastor Emmanuel Igbasan, for Youths and Sports, Mr. Dele Ologun, and the Special Adviser to the Governor on Rural and Community Development.


Mary Agidi
Special Assistant to the Governor on Media (Office of the First Lady)
Feb., 9, 2023

📸 Gbenga Fasakin