Governor of Anambra State, Chief Willie Obiano, has assured the United Anambra Youths Assembly (U-AYA) that his administration is commitment towards the accelerated development of the state and creation of up to 15,000 job opportunities. The job opportunities include 10,000 from the state rice project and another 5,000 from a four-star hotel facility said to be first of its kind in the South-East, which he said would engage the youths whom he described as the active segment of the population.

Governor Obiano stated this while receiving the youths who converged at the Government House Awka yesterday with drums, drumming and dancing to congratulate him on his victory at the Supreme Court which laid to rest all disputes concerning his victory in the gubernatorial election of November 2013 and declaration as the duly elected governor of Anambra State.

Obiano, who was represented by Commissioner for Youths and Sports, Ogbuefi Tony Nnacheta, thanked the coalition of youth groups from all the wards across Anambra State for coming to congratulate him and reiterated his resolve to engage most of them in productive ventures. According to Governor Obiano, “The series of MoUs we signed last, including that with Joseph Agro Limited valued at 150 million US Dollars, will accelerate our pace towards self-sufficiency in rice production. The project has production capacity of over 100,000 metric tonnes and would employ over 10,000 youths and the milling sector would equally employ a sizeable number of people.

“I have no doubt that most of you would play active role in our mechanised agricultural programme which will also involve Out-Growers Scheme through the farmers’ cooperative societies and offers viable structure for empowerment.”

Earlier, U-AYA, led by Special Assistant to the Governor on youth Mobilisation, Hon. Chinedu Obidigbo, had told the governor that they came to congratulate him on his victory at the courts and to share in his joy, as well as assure him of their unalloyed support and loyalty in the quest to make Anambra State safe and secure.

Youth leaders of the ruling All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) who spoke also promised Obiano that the party would emerge victorious with the massive support of U-AYA in future elections, especially the legislative elections expected to hold in the state next year.

•Photo shows U-AYA members during the solidarity visit to the Government House, Awka.