Imo State Governor and Chairman of the Progressives Governors’ Forum, Rochas Okorocha, has stated that there are many ways to empower the unemployed in the society without directly giving them money.

Okorocha was reacting to a recent statement by President Muhammadu Buhari that the N5, 000 stipend is no longer feasible.

Speaking after meeting with the Vice President, Okorocha, however, said that the promise will be implemented one way or the other.


He said: “Well you see to be honest with you, it is a great idea, but there are many ways to give that support, sometimes it could be in cash which has its own challenges. Handling of that is also in itself a wonderful and great idea.

“Take for instance, in Imo State now I have introduced what is called empowerment, they buy motor cycles and give people N5,000 or N 10,000, for me that is not my style. My style is to declare free education, from primary, secondary to university; nobody pays one Naira in Imo state.

“The very poor people who have to ensure a lot of social inconveniences to pay school fees are no longer dong that, what has happened is that he has saved that money to produce further wealth, so if you keep money through that system, it creates more impact than physical cash.

“Physical cash sometimes creates more problems, so it is great idea, we have to do it one way or the other as time comes,” he said.


He supported President Buhari’s anti-corruption battle, stressing that any money stolen out of the treasury will always have adverse effect on development of infrastructure in the country.