Imo State Governor Hope Uzodinma Saturday relaxed the 24 hours curfew imposed on the state following the wanton destruction unleashed in some parts of the state during #Endsars protest across the country.

The governor who announced this during a state broadcast on Saturday, said as the situation in the state and the country gradually returns to normal, “it is necessary to relax the curfew announced on Wednesday.”

Consequently, he said the curfew will now start from 6pm to 6am everyday for now, adding that those on approved essential services are however exempted from the curfew.

He commended the youths across the country in general and in Imo State in particular for heeding to President Muhammadu Buhari and his calls to end the protests.

He also lauded the youths from across the country in general for conducting  themselves responsibly during the #EndSARS protests by pulling out after making their grievances known, noting that the unfortunate destruction of government facilities and private property in Imo in the guise of protests afterwards was the handiwork of mercenaries hired to wreak havoc in the state.

Governor Uzodimma also announced the immediate release of N2 billion as take-off fund  for the training of the first batch of the beneficiaries of a comprehensive youth empowerment scheme in the state.

The money will be taken out of the N6 billion the government has earmarked for an accelerated youth empowerment programme in Imo.

“I  am glad to announce to you therefore that my government has approved an immediate release of a take-off fund of N2,000,000,000.00 (Two Billion Naira) out of N6,000,000,000 (Six Billion Naira) earmarked for an accelerated  youth empowerment programme.

“The N2,000,000,000.00 (Two Billion Naira) take off fund will be deployed for the training of the first batch of the beneficiaries of this scheme which will commerce next week,” the governor explained.

The empowerment programme, the governor said, is targeted at an estimated 500,000 Imo youths to be trained in the 1st, 2nd & 3rd batches in different skills acquisition programmes within the next two years, including providing them with start-up capital to begin their own enterprises.

“The training will come under the Imo State Special Youth Empowerment and Intervention Programme (IMYEIP) and to be overseen by the State’s Ministry of Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship.”

By Chris Njoku