The participants of the Delta State Youth Empowerment ICT Training Program lead a massive protest to the Government House, Today December 16th, 2021 over non payment of the empowerment Startup Capital and starter packs promised by the Government after their training program.

The poineeer program by the Delta State Science and Technology have been plagued with so many shortfalls. The program hub which was located in Asaba had over 80percent participants from Warri who were forced to spend hundred of thousands renting apartment in the very expensive capital city, Asaba. The practical aspect of some of the empowerment program was scrapped for no reason.

The participants reached out to the commissioner of Science and Technology Lady Jennifer Adasen on several occasions but there was no positive response instead she did bribe some gullible participants in Asaba with 5,000naira each while those based in warri were bribed with 7000naira each.

50% of participants opined that they have already forgotten all the coding they were taught as there are no kits to practise. It would be suffice to note that the processes for selection was very rigorous and it's did involve a CBT test and only those who scored 70% and above were invited for interviews. The whole selection process took about five months.

Considering how lucrative and juicy the proposed empowerment program was projected, a lot of people left their jobs in warrri, abraka etc with hope becoming techpreneurals.

The ICT participants were all graduates of higher institutions as that was the criteria set by the Delta State government and we're aged 18yrs to 40 Years.

Several open letter have been sent to the government before this protest...See the last open letter sent below;

"OPEN LETTER TO THE Governor of Delta State,Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, by the participants of the 2021 ICT program.

Your Excellency Sir,

The wealth creation and empowerment initiative of your administration have been nothing but exceptional. Just as a mustard seed is sown, it has grown into a mighty oak bringing relief and support to thousands of Deltans. it is like a roaring Canon that is being heard at the nooks and crannies of every state in Nigeria and have received a lot of accolades. This initiative deserve a million commendation. On behalf of the thousands whose lives have been shaped positively, we say thank you sir.

The positive reviews of your initiatives made us to blindly go though rigorous pre entry examination requirements into the Science and Technology empowerment intiatives, trusting the government and the processes. It is rather unfortunate that some elements are trying to sabotage your great wealth creation initiatives and bring it to disrepute via endless propaganda, insiatiable greed, deep rooted corruption and trailer loads of flimsy excuses.

The ministry of Science and Technology is working tiredlessly to drag your good name to the mud for their personal gains and greed by withholding our empowerment kits for months.

The empowerment kits was to help harness our skills and put to practise what we have learnt but it is such a shame that our dreams are being trampled upon by those who you trusted with the position to help harness our dreams and aspirations.

The program and his initiative was hijacked from it's inception. The monthly stipends were deducted and paid in Cash, the last month stipends was not paid and the bags shared was of very very low quality. The training was also incomplete for most participants as their practicals was cancelled for no reasons. Most of the facilitators were also inexperienced.

Despite the shortfalls, our resilience made us push through as we were determined to be techpreneurs that will shape the state and by extension, Nigeria.

After the program, we reached out to the commissioner on several occasions for our empowernment kits (Starter's packs) and startup Capital but she has deploy all means to bully us to silence by bribing some of our colleague with cash in Warri and Asaba. She also went on a media frenzy to change the narrative and thwart all our efforts. November end, we planned a peaceful protest to the Government House; with some converging at the venue but once again it was sabotaged by the commissioner of science and technology with help from her colleagues.

Our demands are simple and plain Sir; we just need our starter packs and startup Capital to be able to thrive in our field as ICT skills demands daily computation, consistent coding and practises for it to be harnessed.

We understand that you have spent a lot of resources on our training and it will be unfair on your administration if such great efforts are wasted, just to enrich the facilitators of the programs and the personal pockets of those who are trying to sabotage your good name, without fulfilling the purpose of enhancing the ICT sector of Delta state.

We trust that you will address this issue with swiftness and put the vision you have for Delta youths right on track with your professionalism and good Governance. We wish you all the best in your tenure and thank you for all you are doing for Delta State."

The participants are pleading with the Delta State government to fulfil their promise by given them their starter packs and startup capital as promised.

Politians are the biggest yahoos .

Okowa never disappoints...I wonder how deltans ended with this type of person as our governor.

@Lalasticlala please move to the front page to help fulfilling the dreams of these future techpreneurs

cc. Lalasticlala

Any time you hear about empowerment program in okowa administration, pls don't waste your time and little resources

The worst government so far in delta state

All the good empowerment , poverty eradication programmes, scholarship for first class students, bursary for delta state students initiated by the previous administration (Governor uduaghan) ,

Okowa destroyed all of them because of mere hate, irresponsible behaviour


Even the uduaghan bus(delta urban city transport system) oga okowa destroyed all