Uzodimma Urges NDDC To Replicate SkillUp Imo Model Across Niger Delta
Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State has urged the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to understudy and replicate the highly successful SkillUp Imo initiative across the Niger Delta region to boost youth empowerment and digital inclusion.
Speaking through his deputy, Lady Chinyere Ekomaru, at the NDDC’s 25th Anniversary Special Women and Youth Conference in Owerri, the Governor commended the Commission for its consistent efforts in empowering women and youths across the region.
He particularly lauded the Commission’s infrastructural strides—ranging from roads and bridges to schools, hospitals, and electrification projects.
“It is our happiness that the Commission continues in that positive trajectory,” he said, emphasising the need to deepen impact at the grassroots through collaborative programmes.
The Governor highlighted the SkillUp Imo initiative—through which 40,000 young people have been trained in digital skills—as a model of sustainable development and innovation.
He encouraged the NDDC to adopt similar approaches to create a new generation of “employable youths, entrepreneurs, and digipreneurs.”
While calling for more targeted programmes, Governor Uzodimma also appealed to the NDDC to support Imo’s infrastructure needs, including erosion control, river dredging, agriculture, and electricity generation, particularly in underserved areas.
“As a state anchored on visionary leadership and as Chairman of the NDDC State Governors, we will continue to partner with you in delivering the Renewed Hope mandate of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” he said.
The conference was graced by prominent leaders, including traditional rulers, senators from across the Southeast and South-South, and top government officials, reflecting the region’s united front in addressing youth and women empowerment challenges.
The NDDC Board Chairman, Mr Chiedu Ebie, and Managing Director, Dr Samuel Ogboku, led the Commission’s delegation to the high-profile event, which served as both a celebration and a renewed call to action.