Digital Economy: Govt Targets 300,000 Jobs For Imo Youths

At the Imo State Executive Council Meeting held on Wednesday and presided over by Governor Uzodimma, a Council Memo on Imo Youth Digital Training and Empowerment Scheme as submitted by the Chief Economic Adviser to the Governor, Prof. Kenneth Amaeshi was approved.

Addressing newsmen at the end of the Council meeting, the Chief Political Adviser and Head Political Bureau, Barr. Enyinna Onuegbu, said that the Memo was brought to the Exco by Prof. Amaeshi “in conjunction with the Commissioner for Labour, Employment and Productivity, Chief Ford Ozumba.”

“The objective of which is to have about 300,000 Imo youths pass through a training that will make them digitally sound and guarantee their expertise in digital technology and other training possibilities.”

Onuegbu added: “In addition, the training will increase their qualifications, by guaranteeing their knowledge as they will become employable as well as employers of labour.”

Flanked by the Commissioner for Labour, Employment and Productivity, Ford Ozumba, newly sworn-in Commissioner,  Jerry Egemba and the Chief Economic Adviser to the Governor, Prof. Amaeshi, Onuegbu noted that the State Government is planning a digital training programme for thousands of youths in Imo State to be held soon, and that the Exco constituted an Inter-Ministerial Committee to drive the project.

Members of the Committee include:  Chief Economic Adviser to the Governor, the Commissioner for Labour, Employment and Productivity, the Commissioner for Science and Technology and the Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning.

Other members are: the Commissioner for Youths and Sports and the Chief Political Adviser and Head of Political Bureau.

The EXCO further mandated the Committee to work out the framework – modalities,  logistics, time-frame and expenditure profile for the project.

The Chief Political Adviser in his contribution said: “The project when realized will be very beneficial to the teaming Imo youths, especially those who are likely to benefit from it not only as employees but will turn out to be employers of labour.

“The beneficiaries will contribute to the economy of Imo State as they will be working for International organizations while living in Imo State and paying their taxes and bills.”

He explained that the Governor assured the Exco that well established entrepreneurs and computer gurus such as Zinox Computers and the Federal Minister of Communication and Digital Economy have all already keyed into in the training project of Imo youths as far as the digital world economy is concerned.