Imo state residents on Sunday pleaded with the Governor of the state, Hope Uzodimma, to have a rethink over his plan to send 4000 youths to Europe and Canada, rather channel the state funds to setting up of small scale industries, and boosting electricity supply in the state.

They among other things urged the governor to develop an agricultural road map for the 4000 youths of the state.

They spoke separately to newsmen in Owerri, while reacting to Uzodimma’s plot to send 4000 youths to Europe.

One of them, a youth representative at the just concluded South East security and economic summit held in Owerri,he said he did not want his name mentioned and that he only wanted to give an advice, “This is not what we need now. The governor just got it wrong. How on earth a governor will be planning to send 4000 youths to Europe and canada.

“You see a governor will talk it looks as if he is detached from his people. He is doing something difficult for people to understand. That is why I say you should not mention my name.My brother, calculate the dollars we need to send these youths to Europe and how much that money can be used to develop their talents and help them set up smaller industries as well as use that money to take advantage of the federal government electricity law and boost supply of power in Imo to help those industries grow. This is the kind of thing we want to hear and not sending 4000 youths to Europe and Canada.”

Anotherresident, a woman leader of a community in Owerri Municipal, said:“When I heard it I did not believe it, not untill I watched the video I was shocked.I want to beg my governor, let him use that money to develop an agricultural road map for the youths and use that money push the 4000 youths into agriculture and from there he will address food inflation. This is what we need.”

She continued: “I watched the Governors of the South East speak at the Security and economic summit. You will understand that man, Alex Otti. I want my governor to come down and meet with people he is very far. Let people understand him. Even you who is interviewing me as a Journalist what do you know about Uzodimma. I want to stop here. I pray the governor will change this idea of sending 4000 youths to Europe.”

Also, opposition political parties condemned the Uzodimma’s 4000 youths to Europe and Canada.

According to the Action Alliance,AA,through the State Publicity Secretary, Salvator Amadi, said: “Promising Imo youths jobs in Europe and Canada is just another election campaign deceit.

It Is also an inadvertent admission of lack of competence to develop their state of origin to the level of Europe and Canada.

“It is nothing but another joke taken too far just like empowering youths by giving them loans disguised as grants only to turn around and start deducting money from their bank accounts after they have been tricked into voting for the political fraudster in appreciation of the fake grant.

“Telling youths you have what it takes to turn their state into heaven on earth and following it up by promising to help them escape from the heaven for greener pastures abroad exposes the shameless recourse to deceit as a leadership model.

Also, the 2023 Labour Party, Governorship candidate,Athan Achonu, through the Director, Media & Publicity,Chibuikem Diala, “The Senator Nneji Achonu Campaign Organisation has watched with bemusement the recent video of the outgoing governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodinma. The governor took the fraudulent credential of his rudderless government a notch higher by promising Imo youths non-existent jobs in Europe.

“Let me tell you something, I have gone further to negotiate with European Union companies and Canadian companies. They are sending us special areas of discipline (skills), which our Youths will also learn. And by December this year, 4,000 of our Youths will be employed in Europe and once the employment letter comes, the governor will pay for your air ticket,” he said in the viral video.

“That such drivel could proceed from the mouth of the chief executive of Imo State is shocking and disgraceful; nothing could be further than the truth.

However, it did not deviate from the character of this government who brandishes falsehood as a badge of honour. For close to four years, the Uzodinma government has impoverished the people and failed to lift a finger to tackle the sprawling unemployment level in the state.”

Adding their voice,the Young Progressives Party, YPP, through the Deputy Director of Media and Communications, Micheal Anyanwu, said: “It’s a pity that Imo State has been reduced to this kind of mockery by the incumbent administration. Promising to send 4000 Imo youths to Europe and Canada for jobs is nothing but a complete gimmick geared towards cajoling the youths of the State to support his second term bid. How best do you define cluelessness and lack of vision by a government? This is completely a sham and misplaced priority. It seems to lend credence to the popular opinion that the incumbent administration in Imo State has failed Imo people, particularly the youths.

“Any responsible and vision-driven government should be able to create an enabling and conducive environment that is incentivizing and attractive enough for local and foreign investors. Once the environment is investment-friendly, and there are no hostile government policies, threats to life and fear of destruction of property, many investors will jump to that opportunity to setup various levels businesses that can create jobs and make our teeming youths and those within productive age become gainfully employed.”

In his view, the Director media of the Peoples Democratic, PDP, 2023 campaign, Ikenna Onuoha, said: “Regrettably, Uzodinma is neither an European citizen, Director of personnel nor in agreement with any European or Canadian government to secure such job opportunity for Nigerian youths of such magnitude in a foreign land.

“This Uzodinma’s deceit is at the heels of massive and excruciating unemployment rate in Imo state. One therefore wonders how many Imo youths Uzodinma has employed in the last three and half years as Governor of Imo state to have such passion for them now that the election is 42 days ahead. Curious minds will also wish to know how Uzodinma and his vicious administration has treated Imo youths by way of incorporating them into the mainstream of Imo governance.”

Reacting, governor Hope Uzodimma’s Chief Press Secretary, CPS,Oguwike Nwachukwu, said: “I have watched and listened to some rabble-rousers display crass ignorance over the intention of Governor Hope Uzodimma to negotiate jobs for 4000 Imo youths outside Nigeria. The truth is that Governor Uzodimma will always be sure of himself no matter the circumstances he may find himself.

“Yes, when recently he received thousands of Imo youths who paid him a courtesy call at Government House, Governor Uzodimma rapped them on how a good number of them are potential Diasporans because of the digital skills they have acquired and started acquiring. The Governor predicted that no fewer than 4000 of them are potential employees in Europe based on the digital skills they have acquired at home that are in hot demand outside Nigeria.

“Mind you, the government has a well thought out agenda to train 300,000 Imo youths on digital skills over a period of the years and as we speak, 20,000 of them have benefited from the different training programmes and are ready to put such skills they have acquired to use.” (Sunday Vanguard)