Indications that the recent launch of “Youths Must Work” program by the Imo State Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, may only be for members of the “Rescue Mission” family and other acolytes of the present administration, if reports reaching Trumpeta from the various localities are anything to go by.
As part of his resolve to reduce the level of unemployment in Imo State, Okorocha few weeks ago launched a graduate employment programs for unemployed school leavers in the state.
Part of the process for the job creation is for unemployed graduates to register at their various autonomous communities where job forms shall be made available to them.
However, developments at all the levels and reports from the various cements of the State Governor as political interests have overshadowed the desire Okorocha intends to achieve.
In some of the LGAs, APGA faithfuls, especially members of the State Assembly and the Sole Administrators, SOLADs, in charge of the 27 LGAs have personally cornered the forms for selfish reasons. While the State Lawmakers believe that the job form is part of their constituency project, the SOLADs are using it as a political tool to win the support of their supporters at the grassroots.
In Ohaji/Egbema, contrary to expectations, the forms have been surreptitiously disbursed to cronies of APGA power brokers in the area.
Trumpeta learnt that the House Member representing the area allegedly disbursed the forms to top APGA Chieftains in each of the autonomous communities who in turn gave it out to their cronies. The remaining forms were also distributed to suspected “Rescue Mission” compliant persons in the communities against the wish of the Community Government Council (CGC), officials who had expected to take the forms for distribution.
The story from Ohaji/Egbema is not different from what is obtained in other localities as prospective jobless graduates cannot access the forms except those with APGA/Rescue Mission background.
