Not less than 60,000 Delta youths have applied for the Okowa’s 6000 direct empowerment programme for unemployed youths in the state.

Speaking through his Chief Press Secretary, Charles Aniagwu, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa said the state government is currently processing the applications where 6000 would be selected from the over 60,000 youths that applied for the jobs.

“The government is currently processing applications of over 60,000 applications with a view to engaging 6,000 candidates in the first batch of training and empowerment of youths particularly in the area of agriculture and skill acquisition. This programme is capable of spinning about 50,000 direct jobs in the first term of this administration,” Okowa said.

He also said though criticism from many quarters might follow his administration in the execution of his projects, he vowed to shock the barrage of critics against his administration with quality and verifiable projects that distributed across the three senatorial districts of the state.

The governor assured that his administration would not waste time and scarce resources in reacting to those he described as mischief makers whom he said were misleading the public with false information.

“Even when government welcomes constructive criticisms from right thinking members of the society, Senator (Dr.) Ifeanyi Okowa’s administration will not be cowed neither will it give in to cheap blackmails from few persons, hiding under a cover of protectors of public interest to falsify information, mislead the unsuspecting members of the public and unleash venomous vituperation on the good intentions of government,” he said.

According to him, the Okowa administration welcomes constructive criticism with good intent, adding that it was most unfortunate if the intention of any criticism is deliberately to misinform and mislead the public.

Mr. Aniagwu told journalists that within two months of the administration, government has started impacting positively on the lives of the people through various initiatives including the approval for the dualisation of Nnebisi Road and the construction of a Modern Market at Orerokpe.

He reiterated that there was also an approval for the upgrade of facilities at the Ofagbe, Agbor and Sapele technical colleges as a compliment to effort at empowering youths.

“Not too long ago, funds were made available for the completion of the long abandoned Sapele Market as well as the rehabilitation of failed portion along the Asaba-Ughelli road near Oguwashi-Uku.

“Similarly the government earlier embarked on the de-silting of drainage system across the state to provide immediate temporary solution to the issue of flooding being faced by our people in most communities across the three senatorial districts,” he said.