Unlike the Federal Government that has gone after the youths with violent clampdowns and trumped up charges, Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno, has fulfilled his promise to reward youths in the state for boycotting the recent #EndBadGovernance protest.
At a thank-you gathering in Uyo, the governor announced a N310 million cash reward, distributed as N10 million per Local Government Area (LGA), to be shared among youths across party lines.
The governor commended the youths for listening to his appeal to shun the protest, stating that their actions showed they were not ashamed to do well.
He acknowledged the issues that led to the protest, including hunger, unemployment, and high food prices, and assured that his administration was working to address them within available resources.
Governor Eno also announced additional benefits for Akwa Ibom youths, including:
– 100 youths per LGA to be added to the Ibom Community Watch, regardless of political affiliation
– Increased student bursary from N10,000 to N20,000 for undergraduates and N20,000 to N30,000 for postgraduate students
– An employment portal to be created by the Ministry of Labour and the Senior Special Assistant on ICT to connect youths with job opportunities
– A digital platform for oil companies in Akwa Ibom to harvest applicants for interviews
– A monthly N50,000 business grant for 5,000 youths to start small businesses
Stakeholders at the gathering urged the governor to complete the abandoned Ibom Science Park, initiated by former Governor Obong Victor Attah, to fast-track technological growth in the state.
