By Emma Okereh
The Imo state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), yesterday asked the Governor Hope Uzodinma led government to engage the Imo youths meaningfully in tandem with this year’s commemoration of International Youth Day, themed “Youth Engagement for Global Action”.
A statement made available to The AUTHORITY and signed by the PDP Youth Leader, Imo State, Comrade Greg Nwadike regretted that rather than use the youths positively, the All Progressives Congress (APC) led government in Imo has been using the youths as agents of destruction, thugery and harassment of innocent citizens and even the senior citizens of the state.
“Unfortunately today in Imo state, our youths have been engaged by government actors as zombies who are psychologically remote-controlled into playing unimaginable roles for politicians.
“Some of these terrible roles include being used as ENTRACO agents to terrorize motorists on our roads, as thugs to flog or beat up our own very aged parents, as recruits into local Vigilante Organizations, NURTW, etc where they can be easily used as political thugs at elections, instead of being sent to schools and or empowered into farming,’’ he said.
The statement in part reads: “Today, Wednesday, 12th of August 2020 is commemorated as International Youth Day all over the world.
The theme for this year is, “Youth Engagement for Global Action.”
“It seeks to highlight the ways in which the engagement of young people at the local, national and global levels is enriching national and multilateral institutions and processes, as well as draw lessons on how their representation and engagement in formal institutional politics can be significantly enhanced.
“Unfortunately today in Imo state, our youths have been engaged by government actors as zombies who are psychologically remote-controlled into playing unimaginable roles for politicians.
“Some of these terrible roles include being used as ENTRACO agents to terrorize motorists on our roads, as thugs to flog or beat up our own very aged parents, as recruits into local Vigilante Organizations, NURTW, etc where they can be easily used as political thugs at elections, instead of being sent to schools and or empowered into farming.
“The value of the Imo youth has been completely lost in our today Imo society that we have been reduced to hemp smoking, beer guzzling, Naija-betting generation.
“As the world in this year expects high and positive “Youth Engagement for Global Action” in all sectors, I hereby call on the government of Sen. Hope Uzodinma to positively engage Imo youths in roles expected of yielding positive developments in the state.
‘’Uzodinma should ensure that Imo youths who are serving under his government are taught to imbibe positive electoral values that would help them become true democrats in future. By so doing, their representations and engagement in formal institutional policies can be significantly enhanced for a positive future Imo,’’ the statement concluded.
