By  Anayo Okoli

Umuahia—ABIA state government says it is to spend N144.5 million to create about 1,630 jobs for the teeming unemployed youths in the state.
The state Governor, Chief Theodore Orji, who announced this package while flagging off the registration of unemployed youths in the state, said he had already approved the release of N85 million for the scheme.

Orji also directed the Ministry of Youth Development to source for N17 million from any bank that will be willing to partner with it on the programme.

Orji also directed the 17 Local Government Councils in the state to pay a counter-part fund of N2.5 million each for the scheme, which he said was designed to check unemployment in the state, as it would in turn discourage the youths from criminal activities like kidnapping and other violent crimes, which have been on the increase in the state.

The Governor announced that the government had also approved  the sell of the employment forms for the scheme for N500 to interested participants, saying that money realized from the sales should be ploughed back in the scheme.

Orji said that the revitalization of moribund industries, establishment of the common facility centre and industrial market in the state were all efforts aimed at providing meaningful jobs for Abia youths.