July 31, 2023

MINISTRY OF DIGITAL ECONOMY AND E GOVERNMENT PRESS RELEASE The Imo State Government has said it is ready to decisively connect trainees from its youth-centric digital empowerment project, the SkillUpImo Initiative, to job opportunities in Nigeria and globally, in countries such as Canada, the United States, United Kingdom, Germany and other European countries, among others. The Imo State Commissioner for Digital Economist and E-Government, Dr. Chimezie Amadi, disclosed this recently at a training session with participants in the ongoing Cohort 2 of the State’s SkillUpImo Project in the state, where he said the next phase of its youth empowerment programme will be implemented under the ‘Tech Talent to Jobs’ (TT2J) initiative, aimed at creating local and international job opportunities for Imo youths. Amadi said that Governor Uzodimma, having continuously trained many Imo youths on various digital skills and equipping them with necessary tools required for them to become ‘complete Techprenuers’ under the SkillUpImo Project, where many are still being trained, the next level for the State government is to see how the beneficiaries can tap into local and global tech job opportunities. According to the Commissioner, under the guidance and through the visionary leadership of His Excellency, Distinguished Senator Hope Uzodimma, the Ministry of Digital Economy and E-Government in Imo State created the SkillUpImo Project. He said through the Project, many youths have gone through digital training programmes where they have been equipped with digital skills and tools. “However, as the SkillUpImo Project progresses, towards achieving our target of training 300,000 Imolites in cutting-edge digital skills, connecting 60 per cent of the graduands to high-paying jobs as well as empowering 40 per cent of the graduands to be their own bosses, a new initiative tagged: ‘Tech Talent to Jobs (TT2J)” initiative is being birthed. “The TT2J will naturally mainstream the graduates of the SkillUpImo Project, where they will now be matched with top level employment opportunities both locally and internationally in countries such as Canada, United States, United Kingdom, other European countries, among others. I am happy to inform you that HIS Excellency, Distinguished Senator has directed the Ministry to workout the modalities for immediate implementation of the new programme, Amadi said. Meanwhile, having seen the great potential in the two initiatives of the Digital Governor – the SkillUpImo Project and the TT2J – , a non-governmental organisation, Youth Off The Streets Initiatives (YOTSI), has identified with Imo State on its youth development vision and expressed its readiness to partner with the State. President of YOTSI, Comrade Kennedy Nyere, who was on a fact-finding tour to the State recently, said his NGO had extensively understudied the Imo State initiatives in the area of youth empowerment and got convinced that a partnership between the Imo State and its NGO has become necessary for accelerating development in the state. “Our vision to, among others, support and empower young people to build a positive future aligns with the great work which the Imo State is doing in the area of youth empowerment initiatives and we are seeking to collaborate with the State’s Ministry of Digital Economy and E-Government through signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in this regard,” Nyere said. The NGO used the opportunity of its visit to the state to actively interact with the participants of the ongoing Cohort 2 of the State’s SkillUpImo Project during which Nyere extended financial support to some trainees and their family members with a view of motivating them and igniting their entrepreneurial drive. Signed: Sandra OparaPublic Relations OfficerMinistry of Digital Economy & E-Government,Imo State