The Governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodimma, has flagged off the Cohort 3 Skill-Up Imo Project for 40,000 youths who will be trained on different digital skills that will make them either employable or self reliant, depending on their choice.
Flagging off the exercise on Tuesday at the Dan Anyiam Stadium Owerri, the Governor told the youths that “the overall objective of the Skill-Up is to make Imo youths self reliant, job employers, creative thinkers and future world billionaires in US dollars.”
He informed them that his administration has entered into Memorandum Of Understanding with some foreign companies who will immediately employ successful ones among them at the end of their graduation.
Governor Uzodimma said that it is the responsibility of government to prepare the youths for the future, equip and train them on how to fish and not to give them fish.
The Governor said that “when the youths are trained, equipped and empowered, the crime in the Communities are reduced and peace is restored,” urging them to be “attentive, serious and useful to Imo State and Nigeria” when they are prosperous in their chosen vocations.
The Governor said that Imo people are happy that despite the challenges facing the government, his administration is able to graduate 20,000 youths from the programme and now admitting another 40000 on the same project.”
He pointed out that 75 per cent of the Cohort 1 and 2 are already employed and advised the new intakes to take the programme as “a password for progress and prosperity.”
Governor Uzodimma thanked the Commissioner for Digital Economy and E-Government, Dr. Chimezie Amadi and Imo youths for accepting the programme.
In a welcome address, Dr. Amadi said that Imo people have fully accepted the programme, noting that “Imo mothers now say their children must be skilled up.”
He affirmed that the Skill-Up Imo Project Cohort 3 students and graduates of the Cohort 1 and 2 are with the Governor in his aspiration and will work for his re-election so that their desire for Cohort 4, 5 & 6 and even more will be realised.
