By Johnkennedy Uzoma, Owerri
The Imo State Government has disclosed its resolve to train about 300,000 Imo youths in digital skills in the next 3 years.
The Commissioner for Digital Economy and e-Government, Dr. Chimezie Amadi disclosed this to journalists on Friday in Owerri.
He said that the Ministry in fulfilling her mandate has already trained and passed out the first batch of 500,000 youths in its Skill Up Imo program.
The Commissioner said that the graduands have not only been trained but have also been adequately equipped and connected to many job opportunities in some companies both within the country and outside.
Dr. Amadi insisted that the target of the Ministry is to train and equip 100,000 youths every year.
He said that with the creation of the Ministry of Digital Economy and e-Government, which is the first of its kind in the state, youth unemployment had drastically reduced from 65%.
He said: “Today in Imo State youths are engaged, becoming contributors to the digital economy of the state”.
The Commissioner regretted that before now Imo State has been rated among the highest in youth unemployment in the country, adding that today, the situation has changed for the better.
He said: “Youths in the state have a better opportunity to be players in the economic activities of the state”.
Dr. Amadi said that without the intervention of the Governor to train the youths through scholarship programs, the youths would not have afforded the cost of training themselves.
He said: “Before now jobs are sourced from outside because only few are in the state but today the difference is clear because a lot of them now have started their own business while some are already into Web creation, Apps developments”.
While congratulating the Governor for being passionate in creating such opportunities for the youths in the state to be trained in digital skills, Amadi pointed out that there are high expectations from the graduands.
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