ELECTION: Gov Uzodinma promises to equip 4,000 Imo youths to get employed in Europe, Canada

*How Nigerians react to gov’s promised assisted hapa on X

By KEMI KASUMU

…he is the first governor to actively and intentionally want to grow the economies of Europe and Canada by relocating young Nigerians from Imo State to there.

Amidst efforts by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, recently in the United States, urging Nigerians that had ‘japa’ (run abroad due to hardship in Nigeria) to ‘japada’ (return home) with promise of improved living system, Governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodinma, has a contrary opinon.

He has just promised to assist no fewer than 4,000 indigenes of the state to relocate to Europe and Canada before the end of December this year, if re-elected.

By this singular action, Uzodinma has become the first governor to actively and intentionally want to grow the economies of Europe and Canada by relocating young Nigerians from Imo State to those foreign lands.

This is against the most citizens’ wishes that leaders entrusted with powers would make their only country better for them to live as running out for greener pasture is most times uneasy and largely undignifying.

Uzodinma gave the pledge – of helping Nigerian youths in his state to relocate abroad – at a campaign rally on Thursday during one of his vote mobilisations tour ahead of the November 11 governorship election in the Nigeria’s South Eastern state.

While addressing a jubilant crowd of mostly young Imo people, the apparently elated governor promised to assist interested Imo indigenes who want to relocate to Europe or Canada with the relevant employable skill sets that would ease their entry and adaptation into life in the foreign environment.

“Let me tell you something: I have gone further to negotiate with the European Union companies and the Canadian companies,” Governor Uzodinma said, adding that, “They are sending us areas of visible skills which our youth will also learn.”

The excited youths burst into euphoria when he made the promise that “by December this year, 4,000 Imo youths will be employed in Europe.”

The governor was not done with his promises, as he vowed to assist with transportation to any of the countries of their choice once they get their letter of employment.

He pledged that, “Once that letter comes, the governor will pay for your air ticket.”

The overjoyed crowd could not believe what they heard as they burst into a scream of joy.

Uzodinma’s promises have been trending on X, formerly known as Twitter, with many tweets condemning the governor’s action, calling it a desperation to cling to power.

FS Yusuf, shocked by the governor’s promise, tweeted, “A governor is promising 4000 youths japa. A state governor o. No! This is the height. I’m done here!!!”

Another person, Ossy FA, who happens to be from Imo State and is disappointed with the governor’s quest to retain power, tweeted, “Man is a disgrace to us Imo people. May APC never happen to us again.”

“A man who cannot create job opportunities for his citizens in his state wants to get jobs for them in Europe; no, be Juju be that,” Panache tweeted.

Uzodinma’s video has generated more than 500k views on X and will perhaps be talked about extensively on social and conventional media because he is the first governor to actively and intentionally want to grow the economies of Europe and Canada by relocating young Nigerians from Imo State to there.

The governor, who is representing the All Progressives Congress, will be contesting against Senator Samuel Anyanwu of the Peoples Democratic Party, Lincoln Ogunewe of Action Alliance, AA, and Senator Athan Achonu of the Labour Party.