Imo State Government in partnership with leading indigenous technology giant, Zinox Technologies have graduated the 15,000 Cohort 2 Skill-Up Imo Project students with a promise that the Cohort 3 will soon start the training of 40,000 youths on different digital skills.
Speaking Wednesday at the Dan Anyiam Stadium Owerri, where the 15,000 graduates were, each, handed over an HP brand new laptop to enable them put what they have learnt into practice, Governor Hope Uzodinma revealed that the total number of youths so far trained under the Skill-Up Imo Project is 20,000.
At the event, son of the soil and the Chairman of Zinox Technologies Ltd, Mr. Leo-Stan Ekeh challenged the 15,000 youths who graduated from the Cohort 2 Skill-Up Imo project to take advantage of the training they have acquired to be what God says they should be.
Apparently referring to the huge investment Governor Uzodimma has made on Imo youths to turn around their fortune around, Eke noted that with the Skill-Up Imo project, he foresees billionaires emerging in no time from the graduates who have embraced technological innovations.
The Technology Icon of Nigeria also advised the families of the lucky graduates to commit Governor Uzodimma in their prayers so that God will continue to use him to improve on the lives of the people.
He averred that “I am not a politician. But I can tell you this is not politics. I come from here, from one remote community here in Imo State. If I was given an opportunity like this many years ago, I would have been one of the five richest men in the world. Nobody has done what Governor Hope Uzodimma is doing in Imo.”
Also responding, the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani in his remarks congratulated Governor Uzodimma for taking such bold step to impact on the lives of the youths.
Dr. Tijani said going by what he has seen, Imo State is emerging as the digital headquarters of Nigeria. He said that the Governor can conveniently be referred to as a Professor in digital affairs.
The Minister who admonished the graduates not to misuse the opportunity which has been given to them promised that his ministry will partner with the Governor and government on all areas that concern the welfare and upliftment of the youths.
Making his remarks, Governor Uzodimma said that “the Skill-Up Imo project is one of the key programmes of our shared prosperity agenda,” noting, “for the records, five thousand youths had earlier graduated from the programme, thus bringing the total number of graduates to 20,000.”
“In addition, we have continued to record high graduate employment in the Skill-Up Imo programme as tech-based companies such as Zinox Technologies Ltd, Konga Online Ltd, Wakanow.com and businesses within and outside the State have variously engaged technological talents from the programme,” Uzodinma averred.
