After Plunging Imo Youths Into Debts, Uzodimma Still Claims He’s Empowering 15,000 Imo Youths – Charles

By Amanze Charles

Whilst teeming Imo Youths are still wallowing in confusion as to how to liquidate debts they were plunged by Imo State government after securing an acclaimed grants, which turned out to be Loan s, another 15, 000 are also being promised empowerment.

The main opposition political parties, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and the Labour Party, LP had described Governor Uzodimma’s N250,000 empowerment funds each to 15,000 Imo youths as most fraudulent as the government had taken the glory that it empowered 15,000 Imo youths whereas, it was a pure lie from the pit of hell.

Following an entrepreneurship training organised by Imo State government led by Hope Uzodimma, some Imo youths after most of them had been fleeced of their money to be favoured with the free capital. They were turned back when they noticed deductions in their different bank accounts, eliciting most of them to raised the alarm.

The Vanguard reports: “

The PDP and LP said Uzodimma deceived the youths that he was giving them grants instead of explaining that the empowerment fund was a loan that would be repaid. The empowerment event took place in June 2021 at Dan Anyiam Stadium.

For the Labour Party, LP, Director of Media and Publicity, Chibuikem Diala, said: “Shock, anger, and disillusionment have swept through the Imo landscape in the wake of the unraveling of yet another of the alleged seeming endless schemes that the Gov Hope Uzodinma administration has unleashed on the hapless and helpless masses of the state, since it was infamously imposed on them, by the Supreme Court of Nigeria.

“Barely one year after he was imposed on the state, precisely on June 26, 2021, the APC administration had consciously and deliberately deceived innocent and unsuspecting Imo youths, with burning and legitimate desire for entrepreneurial exploits, into participating in an allegedly fraudulent 15000 Imo Youths Economic Empowerment Startup Grant of 250k.

“The youths who thronged the venue of the program were drawn into the snare intentionally set for them by the government by the belief that the financial empowerment was a grant the government was extending to them to start small businesses and ventures.

“On that occasion Gov Uzodinma said and we quote: “Today, the 26th of June 2021, I flagged off the payment of startup grants to 15,000 Imolites to the tune of #250000 per beneficiary under the imo state youth Empowerment program. This being part of a holistic agenda to empower imo youths, is in line with our shared prosperity agenda and our government’s commitment towards economic stability by empowering imolites with the start-up grant.

“Recall that the state government under the Ministry of Entrepreneurship and Skills Acquisition had trained a large number of imolites under various skills. This grant would serve as a startup capital as they begin to apply acquired skills and knowledge in their various choice ventures.”

Meawhile, on Tuesday, Mr. Oguwike Nwachuku the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Hope Uzodimma reports that “History will be made today as Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma empowers 15,000 youths on digital skills. 

Five thousand youths had earlier been trained and empowered under an ambitious Skill-Up project that will involve the training and empowerment of 300,000 youths. 

Apart from training the youths on digital literacy skills, they are exposed to acquire the 4th industrial revolution skills needed to align and fit into the evolving digital world. 

The Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Declan Emelumba in a statement explained that the project is part of the shared prosperity agenda of the Hope Uzodimma’s administration. 

He noted that “Imo is the first state in Nigeria to successfully equip the large number of young citizens with vital digital skills, thus getting them equipped and ready for today’s technology-driven world and economy. “

According to him “the initiative to infuse Imo youths with digital skills is in line with the Imo Digital Economy Agenda (IDEA) 2022- 2026 so as to make the state the digital skills hub of Africa.”

He said the project is also aimed at curbing the menace of unemployment and insecurity. 

Emelumba disclosed that the project is also an investment by Governor Uzodimma to create a future for the youths to enable them achieve success like Elon Musk and Bill Gates. 

The Commissioner expressed satisfaction that the skills acquired by the 15,000 youths are in demand and top earning that will grant them financial freedom. 

He listed the skills they were trained in to include digital marketing, Web and App Development, LAN Networking, Content Creation, Basic Data Analysis, Graphics Design, Programming, Cyber September, and Virtual Assistance among others.

Meanwhile, Governor Uzodimma has received ‘’TECH Governor of the YEAR’’ award from the Cohort 2 Skill-Up Imo Project graduates in appreciation of his initiatives for them.

The award was bestowed on him at the Government House, Owerri Imo State when the graduating students of the second batch of Skill-up Project organised by the Ministry of Digital Economy and E-Government Imo State came on a solidarity match.

Receiving the award, Governor Uzodimma thanked them sincerely for the honour and expressed delight receiving them. 

He commended them for the enterprising spirit they have exhibited and commitment to be entrepreneurs within the digital Technological family.

He recalled that on assumption of office he promised that Imo youths must look different anywhere they are seen in the world and said he is making every effort to keep to the promise he made.

He reminded them of 15,000 youths who will be graduating on Wednesday and informed that he is already negotiating with the European Union and some Canadian companies that will absorb the Skill-Up graduates in the near future, noting that by December this year, 4,000 of them will be employed in Europe.

Governor Uzodimma assured that Government will pay all the expenses including the air-ticket to ensure that reasonable percentage of Imo youths say bye-bye to poverty.

He reiterated that his mission is to ensure that Imo youths become entrepreneurs, self-employed, bread winners of their families as a guarantee to prosperity in Imo State. 

He thanked them for the wonderful march and acknowledged that what he saw today is a preliminary demonstration of what will happen on the day of their graduation.

 “Empowerment day, a day all must remember in history, not that all that 15,000 youths will be graduating, but another 40,000 will be admitted.”

Uzodimma said that if Imo youths are strong, properly engaged and empowered, earning a living, it means Imo State is strong and prosperous. He enjoined them to be bold, courageous and proud to say they are from Imo State.

On a humorous note the Governor said: “If you are asked anywhere in the world who is your next of kin tell them it is Hope Uzodimma, if you are asked who is guarantor tell them it Hope Uzodimma.”

Presenting the prestigious award of “TECH GOVERNOR OF THE YEAR AWARD”, the Skill-Up Youths said that under the leadership of Governor Uzodimma, Imo State has witnessed a surge in Tech-related Initiatives and Investments.  

they said he has actively promoted Tech-Driven Solutions to critical issues such as healthcare, education and infrastructure.

According to one of the victims of alleged fraudulent grant of N250,000 who spoke on the condition of anonymity, “As beautiful as the programme may seem, it is foolhardy for those who had been deceived by the Uzodimma led Government severally to believe their promises as the antecedents of the government is foisted in deceit and fraud.

As the election is barely 48 days to take place, this may just be one of the means to win votes from unsuspecting youths who may just be abandoned..”Once beaten, twice shy…”