Governor Otti Offers Jobs To 19 Top Tech Trainees, Distributes 509 Laptops To Empower Graduates
In a bold step to foster digital innovation and youth empowerment, Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, OFR, has granted automatic employment to the 19 best-performing graduands of the Abia TechRise ICT training programme.
The training was organized in collaboration with the 17 Local Government Mayors and LearnFactory Nigeria.
Governor Otti made the announcement during the graduation ceremony held at the JAAC Building Secretariat, Umuahia.
He instructed the Head of Service, Mr. Benson Ojeikere, to begin the employment process immediately, ensuring the new recruits resume duties by Monday, May 12, 2025.
“I would like to instruct the Head of Service to work with the Commissioner for Science, Technology and Innovation, and the Chief Information Officer, to ensure that the 19 of you start work with the Abia Civil Service,” Governor Otti declared, temporarily lifting the employment ban to facilitate the appointments.
In addition to the job placements, 509 laptop computers were distributed to the graduands to support their entrepreneurial journeys. The Governor emphasized that his administration is focused on equipping youths with skills for self-sufficiency rather than temporary handouts.
“Gone are the days of keke empowerment. Today, the empowerment is using the knowledge God has given you. You can sit here and work for Google, Microsoft—anywhere,” he said.
Governor Otti also directed that a second batch of 850 trainees—50 from each LGA—be enrolled for the next round of training. He further mandated the Chief Strategy Officer to create a monitoring platform for the graduands, offering continued mentorship and linkages with tech institutions.
The Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Prince Uzor Nwachukwu, hailed the programme as a transformative initiative that equips Abia youths with essential digital tools for global relevance.
“Abia TechRise is more than a training programme—it’s a movement. A platform for unlocking the latent potentials of our youths,” he remarked.
Engr. Chibueze Ukaegbu, CEO of LearnFactory Nigeria, revealed that the training covered seven specialized courses tailored for the digital age, including Artificial Intelligence and Digital Animation.
Speaking on behalf of the graduands, Mr. Samuel Uchendu expressed gratitude to the Governor for the life-changing opportunity, affirming that the knowledge gained will greatly enhance their productivity and future prospects.
The event was attended by top government functionaries, with certificates issued to all graduands—marking a significant milestone in Abia’s digital transformation journey.
