The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, Arc. Tonye Cole has said that his administration will focus on creating jobs for youths in the state if elected as governor in the 2023 general election.
Cole said the state has talented youths, citing the likes of Agbani Darego, Joseph Yobo, and Herbert Wigwe, who he said made it to the global stage.
The guber candidate, in a statement said “Agbani Darego, Joseph Yobo, Herbert Wigwe these are just a few names of leaders that have come out from Rivers State to the global stage. It is not an understatement, therefore, to say that our people are immensely talented.
“However, according to the statistics on Nigeria’s labour force published by the NBS for 4th quarter of 2020, Rivers State ranks top 5 in unemployment in Nigeria. For a State blessed with both human, natural and mineral resources it is disappointing to see that we are rated so highly in unemployment.
“Unemployment contributes directly to the decline of any economy, making livelihood difficult for the masses. You would agree with me that some of the problems we face in Rivers State can be solved if the needs of the people are prioritized.
“We must create jobs for youths, empower them with useful skills, and attract investors to help develop the tech sector in Rivers State. By doing this, we will have more people working rather than roaming the streets and contributing to the insecurity of the state.
“For an economy to survive, the revenue and expenditures of the state must be put into consideration. Policies must be put into place and leaders must be held accountable for how they spend money meant for the masses,” Cole added.