Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has approved automatic employment for 50 outstanding graduates of the TechRise Cohort 2 programme into relevant Ministries, Departments, and agencies of the state civil service.

Otti announced the decision at the graduation ceremony of 849 young people who recently completed a three-month intensive training in 21st-century cutting-edge digital skills. He noted that automatic employment is subject to the beneficiaries possessing the required documentation to function within the civil service.

“I am glad that the Head of Service is here. What this means is that I have lifted the embargo to employ 50 of them. Once that exercise is completed, the embargo comes back. The documentation can be brought to me on Monday for the 50 beneficiaries,” the governor said.

He disclosed that a total of 1,359 persons have successfully completed the TechRise programme in the past 12 months, adding that they would form the critical manpower needed to drive the state’s digital transformation agenda.

Governor Otti explained that the TechRise initiative was designed to create an elite corps of competent IT solution providers who would deploy their skills and understanding of the technology ecosystem to advance the state’s development goals.

“As you may be aware, we are repositioning the service delivery architecture in the state to run more efficiently on the digital infrastructure superhighway. The aim is to rely less on physical paper, provide round-the-clock services, and ultimately improve turnaround time,” he said.

The governor further revealed that his administration is investing heavily in broadband expansion across the state, noting that the Umuahia dedicated internet access and wide area network programme has been completed and is fully operational in all government establishments in the capital city.

He said the progress being recorded in the Abia tech ecosystem reinforces his belief that leadership is about inspiring people to believe in the validity of their dreams. He also cited the recent flag-off of the Abia State DUCT Infrastructure Development Project in Aba as part of efforts to make every community in the state economically functional.

“Everything we do is connected to our overarching governance objective of making Abia a home of bountiful reward for all hardworking individuals. Whether in roads, education, urban sanitation, security, or other areas, the goal remains the same: to make Abia the best and truly number one,” Otti said.

The governor directed the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs to provide transportation support for all graduands to their respective local government headquarters. He also approved ₦50,000 each as a Christmas package for the 849 graduands, while prize-winning graduands were awarded ₦100,000 each.

A minute of silence was observed in honour of a TechRise trainee, Mr. Princewill Ogbonnia, who died a few days before the ceremony, as Governor Otti extended his condolences to the bereaved family.

In separate remarks, the Commissioners for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Prince Uzor Nwachukwu; Science, Technology and Innovation, Mr. David Kalu; and Youth and Sports Development, Sir Nwaobilor Ananaba, commended Governor Otti’s unwavering commitment to youth development. They said the programme equipped participants with valuable ICT skills and urged them to continue learning and improving.

Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary, Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Lady Oge Maduka, praised the initiative and the collaboration between the state and local governments, noting that the training went beyond technology to include leadership, discipline, and resilience.

Earlier, the CEO of Learn Factory and coordinator of the TechRise programme, Mr. Chibueze Ukaegbu, applauded the governor for his dedication to ICT development in the state and encouraged the graduands to maximise the skills they acquired.

Speaking on behalf of the graduands, Miss Chinwemeri Benjamin thanked Governor Otti for the opportunity to undergo ICT training and for the provision of laptops and other support, saying the programme would make beneficiaries economically independent.

The event, which attracted top government officials at both state and local government levels, featured testimonials from a Cohort 1 graduate, Mr. Charles Ikechukwu, who developed an application for converting waste to wealth, and Mr. Stephen Uche Onyegbulam, whose team created an app to help stranded motorists locate nearby mechanics. The ceremony also included the presentation of certificates to the graduands.