Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) may remain elusive without significant investment in human capital and the reinforcement of values that drive productivity, integrity, and innovation, the Abia State Director of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Comrade Victor Orji, has said.

Orji made the remarks during his welcome address at the one-day ‘Train the Trainers’ Summit held in Umuahia, the Abia State capital.
The summit, themed “Empowering Our Next Generation Leaders: Raising Children to Thrive and Lead,” was organized by the Duke Infant and Child Foundation and convened by Mrs. Augusta Olachi Anyanwu-Egbom.

Comrade Orji noted that initiatives like this summit are not only relevant but essential in a society grappling with moral decline, youth restiveness, misinformation, disinformation, and weakened social structures.
He urged participants to see the summit not merely as an event but as a call to action, emphasizing the need to raise children who are confident, compassionate, competent, and committed to national progress.

He commended the summit’s alignment with the SDGs, particularly Quality Education, Decent Work and Economic Growth, and Poverty Reduction.
Addressing attendees, the summit convener, Anyanwu-Egbom, stressed the importance of preparing children to thrive in a rapidly changing world.

“The Train the Trainer Summit exists to equip parents, caregivers, educators, and teachers to meet the challenges of raising the 21st-century child. Technology is evolving at an unprecedented pace, but many parents are lagging behind, which contributes to challenges such as mistaken identity, vices, and children growing up without purpose or direction,” she said.
According to Anyanwu-Egbom, the summit has been conducted in nine states—Abia, Imo, Bayelsa, Edo, Ekiti, Ogun, Osun, and Ondo—following its flag-off in Delta State at Asaba and Warri.

“It is time for parents and guardians to rise up and raise purpose-driven children who will stand firm tomorrow for our country, Nigeria. This is nation-building,” she added.
The summit, held at Wonderland Events Center, featured paper presentations and interactive discussions aimed at fostering effective strategies for raising the next generation of leaders.