From Paul Osuyi, Asaba
Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State on Thursday said the state is desirous of electing a successor in 2023 who would sustain his administration’s programmes and policies.
Okowa spoke in Asaba during the graduation ceremony for 1000 beneficiaries of the 2020/2021 cycle of his administration’s flagship empowerment programmes codenamed STEP and YAGEP
He announced donation of N500,000.00 each for 75 outstanding beneficiaries since 2015 when the programme started, another N10 million and N7.5 million, respectively, for the programme’s choir and dance groups for their performance during the event.
The governor who said the success story of his administration is anchored on the various entrepreneurship schemes, insisted that it was only an irresponsible person that would discontinue the programmes which he claimed, has impacted positively on Deltans.
“We may have built infrastructure but
our greatest story point is equipping our youths with necessary tools for them to be meaningfully engaged. Delta is the most peaceful state because our youths are working in partnership with the government.
“So for our brothers who are saying nauseating things about this administration, I wonder if they are in Delta or they are talking about Delta State.
“I believe this programme will continue because we have institutionalize the Job Creation Bureau. It is only an irresponsible person that will discontinue it but we will not have an irresponsible person as governor,” he said.
Congratulating the graduands, Okowa urged youths to learn to exercise their “political rights in such a manner that you do not waste your vote for somebody who do not mean well for the state.
“With your partnership, we will continue with our programme of empowerment as we move into a new dispensation.”
The governor paid glowing tributes to those who helped to conceptualize and nurture the programme from the start, and urged the beneficiaries to remain steadfast in their various fields to make a breakthrough.
Earlier, the state Chief Job and Wealth Creation Officer, Prof. Eric Eboh said the 1,000 beneficiaries were duly trained in occupational, entrepreneurial and business skills, adding that they had already received their starter packs, shop rent support and cash support for critical farm operations.
Eboh said the programmes which began in 2015, was in it’s sixth cycle, and had so far graduated 6,074 budding entrepreneurs in various in various enterprise including agriculture.