The Nigerian Young Professionals Forum (NYPF) has thrown its weight behind the re-election bid of Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta.

Chairman and founder of the forum, Mr Moses Siasia, said the support for Okowa was based on the massive economic development and projects he executed that had provided jobs for youths of Delta.

A statement issued by the forum after Okowa’s endorsement in Asaba on Tuesday by over 2000 members of the group, quoted its president as also saying that the forum was supporting the incumbent governor because of the human capacity development he brought to the state.

Siasia who described Gov. Okowa as a benevolent administrator, urged all youth groups to support the governor and his team.

“After x-raying the job creation drive and skills acquisition programmes which have created a strong culture of entrepreneurship in Delta, which is compared to none, we will mobilise all affiliate youth and professional groups to support the governor’s re-election bid”.

According to Siasia, Okowa is one of the few Governors in Nigeria that have made youth growth as a priority for sustainable development.

He stated the governor had touched the lives of many young people in the state.

Siasia further stated that the NYPF recently gave an award to the governor in Abuja at the 5th Anniversary Banquet Dinner in recognition of his outstanding qualities.

The statement also quoted Sunday Omuze, the Delta state coordinator of NYPF, as praising Gov. Okowa for initiating and accomplishing landmark projects in the state, saying, “we are proud of the social and economic revival that governor Okowa has brought to Delta, and for the laudable achievements”.

“We at the state chapter of the NYPF are asking the national NYPF to assist us in canvassing support for this outstanding governor.”

“We are confident that he will be re-elected and for the next four years he will deliver more development projects to our state and of course help our youths and professionals to make progress through the various development programmes the governor has put in place”.

Director of finance and administration of NYPF, Hon. Godfrey Ishegbe stated that the achievements of Gov.Okowa were noteworthy and beneficial to the ordinary people, especially as they had provided jobs to lots of youths who were hitherto abandoned.

The group noted in the statement that the governor created a total of 3,073 direct jobs for previously unemployed youths from 2015 to 2018 under the flagship job creation programmes which entailed Skills Training and Entrepreneurship Programme (STEP) and Youth Agricultural Entrepreneurs Programme (YAGEP).

“The information we have indicates that both programmes have additional 1,180 youths in customised skills acquisition, agricultural training and entrepreneurship development modules and will be established to own and run their enterprises at the end of the Programme cycle in few months.”

“This is commendable and we are committed to supporting this performing government,” the statement said. (NAN)