A total of 19,378 people, comprising indigenes and non indigenes, have applied for Governor David Nweze Umahi’s youth empowerment grant in Ebonyi state.
Governor Umahi had declared plans to empower Ebonyians from different Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the state with N 1 million each, following the #EndSARS protest that led to loss of lives and property in the state in October last year.
Umahi had earmarked N2.6 billion for the empowerment, but increased it to N3 billion on November 20, citing the need for inclusion of more beneficiaries, with registration running into January this year.
According to a document obtained by Blueprint Tuesday, which was signed by the Special Assistant to the Governor on SMEs, Dr Mbam Peter Obashi, 15,144 applications were received in hardcopy form from the 13 LGAs, including nine applications from non indigenes, while 4, 234 applications were received online.
Further analysis shows that the following applications were received according to each LGA: Abakaliki: 957, Afikpo North: 1,192, Afikpo South: 672, Ebonyi: 1,049, Ezza North: 1,179, Ezza South: 997, Ikwo: 1,773, Ishielu: 960, Ivo: 309, 1zzi: 1,393, Ohaozara: 1,638, Ohaukwu: 1,906, Onicha: 1,110, Non-indegenes: 9, online applications (summarised in 95 pages): 4,234.
