The Abia State chapter of the Labour Party has unveiled a statewide essay competition for secondary and tertiary institution students, offering a total prize pool of ₦2.8 million.

The initiative is aimed at encouraging greater youth participation in governance and public policy while providing young people with a platform to share ideas that could contribute to the continued development of Abia State.

Speaking during the launch of the competition at the party's secretariat in Umuahia on Thursday, the State Secretary of the Labour Party, Chuks Akamadu, described the programme as the first of its kind by the party's Abia chapter.

He said the competition reflects the party's commitment to promoting civic education, democratic values, equal opportunity, social justice, and responsible political participation.

According to Akamadu, the initiative is designed to stimulate intellectual engagement among young Abians while generating practical ideas and policy recommendations that can support governance and development.

"We are doing this because the Labour Party is a political party that is alive to its responsibilities in a democratic society. We are committed to educating citizens, promoting democratic values, and encouraging greater youth participation in the political process," he said.

He announced that this year's essay topic is "The New Abia and Need for Consolidation."

According to him, the competition seeks to capture the views of young people on the achievements of the administration of Governor Alex Otti and explore ways those gains can be sustained.

Akamadu explained that the competition is divided into two categories.

For Category A, which is for secondary school students, the overall winner will receive ₦500,000, while the second and third-place winners will take home ₦300,000 and ₦250,000, respectively.

For Category B, open to tertiary institution students, the first prize is ₦1 million, while the second and third prizes are ₦500,000 and ₦250,000, respectively.

He added that consolation prizes would be awarded to other outstanding participants, while the schools attended by the prize winners would also receive special recognition.

Akamadu further stated that entries, which must not exceed 1,500 words, should be submitted electronically to the party's official email address on or before July 17, while the presentation of prizes is scheduled for August 3.

He commended Governor Alex Otti for what he described as the administration's achievements over the past three years, noting that they inspired the initiative.

According to him, the competition is intended to give young people an opportunity to actively contribute to discussions on governance and the future of Abia State.

"The future of Abia belongs to our young people. Through this competition, we are giving them a voice to contribute to the political and developmental conversation shaping our state," he said.