Immediate past Chief Press Secretary to Gov. Theodore Orji, Mr. Ugochukwu Emezue says the youth empowerment programme embarked upon by the governor has drastically reduced unemployment in the state.
Speaking at a radio programme in Umuahia, Emezue who described the empowerment scheme as one of the best legacies in which the governor will ever be remembered, added that it has brought relief to many youths who were hitherto, jobless.
“When you consider the huge number of vehicles the governor has provided to youths free of charge under the programme, there is no doubt that it has greatly improved the economy of these youths and made them breadwinner of their families. The programme has generated employment and may have even extended families apart from the immediate beneficiaries. Above all, it has also helped to reduce crime rate in the state. I commend Gov. Orji for sustaining the programme because it takes a governor with a large heart to embark on such.”
He described those criticizing the youth empowerment programme as people of parochial minds who were part of a former administration that donated wheel barrows and shovel s to youths.
“Somebody confronted me the other day asking why the governor has decided to make every Abia youth a transporter. I asked him if he knows what it means to be a car owner and informed him about the huge positive impact the empowerment programme has made on the life of youths in the state. These are vehicles given at no cost to the beneficiary; I know that most of these beneficiaries have continued to pray God to bless the governor for his benevolence. When some people were in power in this state, they only gave wheel barrows and shovels to the people, so you can see the difference in the impact Gov. Orji has made in the life of the people,” he said.
The former spokesman to the governor enjoined the people of the state to continue to support the present administration which he said, redirected Abia to the path of development.
