Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, yesterday, disclosed that his administration plans to create no fewer than 500,000 jobs for unemployed youths in the next three years to revive the state’s economy post-coronavirus pandemic.
He urged stakeholders to partner with the state government to realise the objective, adding, “The first is the urgent need to create 500,000 jobs in the next three years. This we can achieve by the 300,000 skills acquisition empowerment scheme earlier proposed.”
Uzodimma stated this at a virtual conference organised by the Imo Economic Development Initiative (IEDI), led by Professor Maurice Iwu, stressing that it will be realised if stakeholders leveraged on the partnership with his administration.
In the conference attended by Imo intellectuals, captains of industries and enterpreneurs, Uzodimma, described the effort as “timely and cogent,” as it had quality representation and participation.
“With such a number of young people empowered for self-employment, they will certainly employ others in the course of time. Also, with agricultural loans to farmers and a more organised sector, over 100,000 jobs will be created,” he said.
He said the Imo State post-COVID-19 Economic Development Agency (ISEDA), would enhance the initiative to boost the state’s economy after the pandemic, adding, “Nothing can be more urgent than a thoughtful discourse on Imo economy after the scourge.
Meanwhile, the Marcellinus Nlemigbo-led faction of the Imo State All Progressives Congress (APC), at the weekend in Owerri, insisted that it remained the party’s authentic group recognised by the National Executive Council (NEC), adding that his headship subsisted.
A Federal High Court in Abuja, presided over by Justice O. A. Musa, had recognised Daniel Nwafor, as the state chairman of the party, following a motion of stay of execution brought before it by a group loyal to Nlemigbo.
The court had on July 16, maintained its earlier ruling that Nwafor was the duly elected chairman of the party, and declined to entertain the stay of execution motion the group brought before it.
The Guardian learnt that whereas the Nlemigbo group that produced Hope Uzodimma, as its 2019 governorship candidate, Nwafor’s faction was loyal to former Governor Rochas Okorocha and his son-in-law, Uche Nwosu.
Addressing journalists over its stand on the court order, Nlemigbo, said, “It is unbelievable for those who had left the APC, fought the party and engaged in various anti-party activities will now claim to be its executive members even when they have not been formally readmitted into the party.”
GUARDIAN
