Only Enemies Of The Youths Will Criticise Us  – Okowa 

Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State, on Thursday, expressed concern that some mischief makers are criticising his administration despite what he is doing for youth development and empowerment.

Okowa spoke  at the graduaton of 1,000 Skills Training and Entrepreneurship Programme (STEP) and Youth Agricultural Entrepreneurship Programme (YAGEP) beneficiaries of the 2020/2021 programme cycle held at Events Centre, Asaba.

He said that citizens knew that no volume of devious criticism could taint the developmental efforts of his administration, adding  only enemies of the youths would criticise what his administration was doing for the youths of the state.

“Recently I hear some people criticise what we are doing for the youths of our state, they speak in manners that are becoming nauseating.

“We don’t want to praise ourselves as a government but when I hear some people saying that the Dr Okowa’s administration is doing nothing, I begin to wonder whether they are in Delta State or whether they are talking about other states.

“When we recognised that we are doing a lot in infrastructure in such a manner that has earned us recognition but I know that our greatest strong point is in ensuring that we give our youths the necessary skills to keep them strong and keep hope alive’.

He warned that henceforth, the state government would no longer tolerate people registering in other programmes after they had been trained and empowered in another programme.

The Governor stressed that such acts were inimical to the progress of the state as perpetrators were blocking the chances of other Deltans from benefiting from the various job creation schemes.

“Our youth training programmes both the STEPreneurship, YAGEPreneurship and other programmes is our strongest point and we have no apologies about it.

“We know that today Delta is one of the most peaceful states and it is because the youths are working in collaboration with the government.

“This is so because our youths are responsible they are passionate about their future and about this state, and the youths of Delta wants us to have a great state.

“We will ignore what they say but its important for us as youths that as we go into the future to realise that in order to keep the future of the current youths and those who are growing up, we must learn to exercise our political rights in such a manner that we do not waste our votes for those who do not mean well.

“I say so because anybody criticizing what we are doing in collaboration with our youths does not obviously mean well for the state and such a person is an enemy to the youths.

“I want to urge you to stay strong, focused and we believe that together we can ensure the continuity and the growth of our various youth entrepreneurship programmes if you partner with us as we go into the new dispensation that is coming.

“It is well with our state and I use this opportunity to thank our traditional rulers for their support and prayers for the success of this administration.

“It is my belief that as they continue to pray for us our youths will continue to grow from strength to strength and we look forward to a Delta State that is not only stronger but a Delta State that will make a major difference in the comity of states in Nigeria.

“Am confident that you will make us proud going into the future and we will proud that we laid the foundation and that was built upon,” he stated.

The Governor lauded the Job and Wealth Creation Bureau for its diligent and professional handling of the programmes to become a major success story of his administration.

He assured that with the enabling law establishing the Delta State Job and Wealth Creation Bureau, the state’s job creation programmes would be sustained beyond his administration.

He commended the youths of the state for their dexterity and focus, assuring that in years to come the benefits of the programme would be manifest nationwide.