By PAMELA EBOH, Awka

Anambra State Government on Friday dismissed a viral message claiming that Governor Chukwuma Soludo is offering N2 billion empowerment grant to 5000 Anambra youths as scam.

A statement put out to this regard by Chief Press Secretary to the state Governor, Christian Aburime, reiterated Soludo’s resolve towards empowering the youths genuinely through initiatives such as the ‘1 Youth, 2 Skills’ programme.

Aburime said: “The programme focuses on equipping young people with practical skills that will enhance their employability and entrepreneurial capabilities.”

The statement partly reads “It has come to the attention of the Anambra State Government that a fraudulent message is circulating on various platforms, falsely claiming that Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, CFR, is offering a N2 billion naira empowerment grant to 5000 Anambra youths.

“The scam message also provides a link, urging individuals to apply for the said grant and also share the information for others to benefit.

“The Anambra State Government categorically disclaims this message in its entirety and hereby informs the public that it is a blatant scam.

“Truly, the leadership of Governor Charles Soludo is committed to the genuine empowerment of its youths through initiatives such as the ‘1 Youth, 2 Skills’ programme. This programme focuses on equipping young people with practical skills that will enhance their employability and entrepreneurial capabilities.

“Additionally, the government provides financial support to enable youths to establish themselves as self-reliant individuals. However, the youths are advised that the Anambra State Government does not engage in any form of cash transfer programme through the link provided in the scam message ashttps://slnkz.com/2bn-grant-empowerment-online-reg.

“The link is totally fraudulent and unauthorized by the government. Any attempt to access or provide personal information through this link poses a significant risk to individuals.

“Authentic information regarding government empowerment programmes and initiatives is disseminated through official channels, including government websites, press releases, and official social media handles.”

While urging people to disregard any information not originating from the official sources, he said such should be treated with suspicion and avoided.

“Also, we urge the public to exercise caution and refrain from sharing such fraudulent messages.

“The Anambra State Government under the leadership of Prof Chukwuma Charles Soludo remains committed to the welfare and empowerment of its youths, but in the right way.

“We therefore advise citizens to stay vigilant, verify information through official channels, and report any suspicious activity to the appropriate authorities”, the statement added.

Aburime however, urged the general public to disregard any statement that did not emanate from the official channels of the state government.