By Maryam Abdullahi
Ademola Adeleke, governor of Osun, says he has introduced a new empowerment scheme to enable proper engagement with youths in the state.
Olawale Rasheed, spokesperson to the governor, said in a statement on Thursday that Teslim Igbalaye, secretary to the state government, announced the creation of the new scheme in a circular.
Rasheed said the governor dissolved the Osun youth empowerment scheme (O-YES) and replaced it with ‘Imole youth corps’.
The O-YES is a two-year rotational youth volunteer empowerment programme initiated by Rauf Aregbosola, former governor of Osun, on December 17, 2010.
He said the action was influenced by Adeleke’s desires to adjust schemes inherited from the previous administration to enable productive labour and sustainability, noting that it was also to fulfil one of his campaign promises.
“In fulfilling one of the electoral promises of His Excellency, the Governor of Osun State, Senator Ademola Jackson Nurudeen Adeleke in ensuring meaningful and proper youth Engagement in the state, a new Scheme code-named Imole Youth Corps is hereby put in place to engage our teeming youths in the state,” the statement reads.
“Application forms will be available for prospective youths in all the 30 local governments, including the Ife East area office of the state FREE of charge beginning from Friday, 17th of February, 2023.”
Meanwhile, Ademola Adeleke was earlier sacked as governor of Osun after Gboyega Oyetola, the immediate former governor, petitioned a tribunal to challenge Adeleke’s victory in the election held on July 16, 2022.
But Adeleke rejected the tribunal verdict and promised to appeal the case.