The candidate of the Young Progressives Party (YPP) in the November 11 governorship election in Imo State, Dr. Kemdi Opara on Monday described the promise by Governor Hope Uzodinma to send 4000 Imo youths to Europe and Canada for jobs as a deceitful gimmick.
The YPP candidate who stated this in a statement made available to DAILY POST by his Deputy Director, Media, and Communications, Michael Anyanwu, said Uzodinma’s promise only amounts to making a mockery of the massive unemployment plight of the youths of the state.
Recall that Uzodinma, on 28 September, told a crowd of Imo State residents, “By December this year, 4,000 Imo youths will be employed in Europe.”
The governor, who is contesting for re-election in November, said he had negotiated with some European and Canadian companies that have promised to “send us special areas of skills which our youths will also learn”.
Reacting to the governor’s promise, Opara maintained that such “dissimulation is a confirmation and testament that his administration has failed the youths and the generality of the Imo people”.
Opara said, “If bestowed with the mandate to be Governor of the State, my vision and resolve is to develop the industrial capacity of the State and make it an investment-friendly hub and business destination which will attract indigenous and foreign investors into the State that will partner with his administration and the private sector to develop the various sectors of the State’s Economy thereby creating the much-needed employment opportunities for the teeming youths of Imo State.”
He promised to promote small and medium enterprises because of the major role they will play in spurring the economic development of the state.
The YPP governorship candidate further said if elected, he would build well-equipped Skill Acquisition Centres across all the 27 LGAs in Imo State where the youths will be trained to acquire skills in tailoring and fashion designing, leather works including shoes and bags making, carpentry, welding, electrical works, mechanical works, among others.
“My administration will ensure their access to finances and no government establishment shall procure from any other company or award contracts of supply to any company for services that can be provided by the skill acquisition centers in the State,” he added.
