… Receives Course 30 Members of NDC
Unemployment and political gang-up have been identified as two key elements fueling insecurity in the country.
Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State said both factors which are also linked to poverty can be dealt with if concerted efforts are made at providing employment for the teeming unemployed youth and if the politicians accept defeat in good faith after election.
The governor spoke when members of the Course 30 of the National Defence College, Abuja on study tour of Imo State led by Deputy Commandant and Director of Studies, Major-Gen. Emeka Victor Onumajuru paid him a working visit at the Government House, Owerri on Thursday.
Addressing the team at the new Executive Chamber Government House, Owerri, Governor Uzodimma thanked the participants for their choice of Imo for the study as well as for deeming it fit to show solidarity with his government despite insinuations of large scale insecurity in the State.
The governor assured his guests that Imo State is now peaceful and lauded the role and resilience of the security agencies in dealing with insecurity, especially those who paid the supreme price in the process of securing the state.
Governor Uzodimma explained that the fight against insecurity requires joint and concerted efforts by all the States in the country and the Federal Government, emphasizing that “insecurity in one State or Zone will no doubt snowball into insecurity in other States and Zones.”
Giving a brief history of the creation of Imo State in 1976, the landmarks, population and resource base, the Governor noted that palm oil has remained a major source of livelihood as “it is produced in virtually all communities in Imo State.”
He said the State has the largest oil palm plantation in the country, which is the Adapalm, informing the visitors that the strength of the State lies in her human capital (education), believed to be the largest industry in the Imo.
He said it is in recognition of the value the people attach to education that his administration has, within a short period, established two Universities – University of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences Umuagwo and Kingsley Ozumba Mbadiwe University in Ideato South Local Government Area of Imo State.
“The University of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences is established to harness the several agricultural potentials of the State into industrial hub that will employ the youths of Imo State and at the same time provide them with skills and technical knowhow in agriculture.”
On the issues that led to insecurity in Imo, the Governor said that “the causes are a combination of activities of bandits and political gang ups masterminded by politicians who ruled the State in the past and refused to accept defeat from 2019 election.”
He regretted that politicians have learnt to take advantage of the vulnerability of unemployed young men and women, most of who are impoverished, to cause diverse problems of which lately, insecurity is one, not just in Imo State but the society at large.
For Imo State in particular, he said the climax of insecurity was the recent infiltration of Owerri Correctional Centre by bandits who forcefully set free over 1,800 inmates that found their way into the street to continue with their nefarious criminal activities.
Governor Uzodimma is however unrelenting in tackling the problem of unemployment and by extension, that of insecurity.
He told his visitors that government has trained and empowered over 20,000 Imo youths, paid debt of over N1.3 billion to recover Imo Standard Shoes Industries abandoned for many years preparatory to resuscitating the industry as major employment tool.
Also, his government has recovered the Imo State Ceramic Industry, the Nsu Tiles and has entered into partnership over Adapalm to shore up its activities as a value chain with the hope of generating over 300,000 jobs.
“No doubt these are the only way the State can engage young men and women in paid employment.”
He assured that when all the businesses, industries and firms are put together, the youths will be assisted to start their own businesses and even employ others while issues of insecurity would be a thing of the past.
Earlier in his speech, Major-Gen. Onumajuru said the visit was part of the Participants’ Study Tour and that the essence is for the participants to “understand the socio-political conditions and environment of the entire country- Nigeria.”
He said to achieve the above the course participants would cover the entire country in six States where each of the six teams will make a presentation of what they observed, experienced and gathered from the different parts of the country.
Major- Gen. Onumajuru told the audience that the team of their tour is: “Countering Insecurity: The Whole of the Society Approach to Enhancing Human Security.”
He expressed gratitude that what the Governor told them will enhance their knowledge and impact on the research they have come to carry out on their tour, particularly as it concerns Imo State.
He said from what they had heard, Governor Uzodimma has committed a lot to secure the state and is still not relenting in ensuring adequate security of lives and property of the people of Imo State.
However, for further improvement on the gains recorded, the participants suggested the need to engage more stakeholders, faith-based organizations, Civil Society Organisations as well as well-spirited individuals to contribute their quota for a peaceful Imo State and Nigeria in general.
Major-Gen. Onumajuru was accompanied on the visit by the Team Leader, Brig-Gen A. B. Mohammad and other Principle Military Officers of the National Defence College.
Also present were the Commandants of the Armed Forces-Army, Navy, Air force – in Imo Sate.
The Deputy Governor of Imo State, Prof. Placid Njoku, the Speaker Imo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Paul Emeziem, the Secretary to the State Government, Chief Cosmas Iwu, the Chief of Staff to the Govewrnor, Barr. Nnamdi Anyaehie and other members of the Executive Council joined Governor Uzodimma to receive the guests.