CREATE JOB OPPORTUNITIES TO STOP YOUTH RESTIVENESS — STAKEHOLDERS TELL GOV UZODINMA
Reporter: CHUKWUKA AGUKWE
Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodinma, says no amount of distraction would deter him from achieving the goals and aspiration of the people, especially when it comes to securing lives and property in the state.
He stated this during an expanded stakeholders meeting held at the Government House Owerri.
Governor Uzodinma, who took time to explain some of his administration’s achievements in the last nine months, also informed the stakeholders of his plans in the next few months and the security situation arising from recent peaceful protest embarked by youths, which was hijacked by hoodlums.
Governor Uzodinma expressed displeasure with the carnage and mayhem unleashed on the state few days ago by hoodlums and mercenaries, who hid under the guise of the #EndSARS protest to cause mayhem in the state.
While urging the stakeholders to take necessary and proactive steps in warning their children and wards against being used as tools to destabilize the state, Governor Uzodinma said, henceforth, the government in partnership with all security operatives, would deploy all machineries of government to maintain peace and order in the state.
The Governor maintained that the Imo State Government had trained five thousand youths in various skills and had mapped out two billion naira as accelerated youth empowerment program for the training of five hundred thousand youths.
An elder statesman, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, said the Governor had shown good leadership by responding rapidly during the crisis.
The Chairman, Imo State Muslim Council of Nigeria, Prince Marshal Uwakwe and Eze Anayochukwu Duruebekuo appealed to the Governor to urgently put to an end to youth restiveness by creating programmes aimed at addressing their challenges.
The meeting had in attendance religious bodies, traditional rulers, security agencies, members of state and national assembly as well as the Minister of State for Education, Chief Emeka Nwajiuba and the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Zone 9 Umuahia, Mr. Celestine Okoye.