Uzodimma Graduates Another 15,000 Imo Youths on Digital Skills Acquisition

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja

Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State yesterday oversaw the graduation of 15,000 youths under the state’s Cohort 2 Skill-up Project, promising that the third phase will soon start with the training of 40,000 young people on different digital skills.

A statement by the Chief Press Secretary and Media Adviser to the governor, Oguwike Nwachuku, noted that during the programme which held at the Dan Anyiam Stadium Owerri, the graduates were given an HP brand new laptop to enable them put what they had learnt into practice.

The governor who put the total number of youths so far trained under the programme at 20,000, said the aim of the project was to up-skill, re-skill and train 300,000 Imo youths.

“The prospects are simply endless. It is impossible to over-emphasise this. Digital literacy will make you better no matter your profession or trade. As a teacher with digital skills, you can create personalised learning for your pupils so that you leave no one behind.

“As an artisan with digital skills, you can easily respond with new concepts to the changing needs of your clients. As a trader with digital skills, you can collapse physical barriers with e-commerce.

“As a doctor with digital skills, you can reach more patients leveraging telemedicine. As a content creator, the world becomes your audience. Even as a government, we can, through digitalisation, deepen inclusion and break the mould of unemployment and unrest, which is exactly what we are doing today through Skill-up Imo,” he said.

The governor explained that the young men and women were put through very intense and hands-on digital entrepreneurial and literacy training, covering entry, intermediate, and advanced level courses over the past four to 12 weeks.

At the event, the Chairman of Zinox Technologies Ltd, Mr. Leo-Stan Ekeh challenged the 15,000 youths who graduated from the project to take advantage of the training they had acquired.

Ekeh noted that with the project, he looked forward to seeing billionaires emerging in no time from the graduates who had embraced technological innovations.

“I am not a politician. But I can tell you this is not politics. I come from here, from one remote community here in Imo State. If I was given an opportunity like this many years ago, I would have been one of the five richest men in the world.

“Nobody has done what Governor Uzodimma is doing in Imo,” Ekeh whose Zinox Technologies Ltd dominates the market in Africa said.

In his remarks, the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani described the project as a bold step to impact the lives of the youths.

Tijani said that going by what he had seen, Imo State was emerging as the digital headquarters of Nigeria.

The minister, who admonished the graduates not to misuse the opportunity which had been given to them promised that his ministry will partner with the governor and government in all areas that concern the welfare and empowerment of the youths.

Earlier in his welcome address, the Imo State Commissioner for Digital Economy and e- Government, Dr. Chimezie Amadi, argued that in the history of Nigeria, no governor or government had invested as much as  Uzodimma in one single swoop for a graduation programme like the one under review.

Some of the graduates who gave testimonies of their experiences regarding the programme, on behalf of their colleagues, noted that through it the governor had turned their lives around for the better.

The event was attended by many dignitaries including the wife of the governor, Chioma Uzodimma, the Minister of Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji and the Minister of State, Labour and Employment, Nkiruka Onyejiocha.

Others were the Director General of South-east Governors Forum, Senator Uche Ekwunife, the Speaker of the Imo State House of Assembly, Chike Olemgbe, the Chief Judge of Imo State, Justice Theresa Chikeka, among others.