Society

Gov. Emmanuel Launches Enterprise And Employment Scheme

Udom-EmmanuelAkwa Ibom State Governor Mr Udom Emmanuel has charged youths of the State to explore the abundant economic potentials to create wealth for sustainability and self reliance.

Governor Emmanuel gave the charge during the launching of Akwa Ibom Enterprise and Employment Scheme (AKEES) held at Ibom Hall, Uyo.

He said God has endowed the state with enormous human and natural resources that can be utilised to grow the economy, earn a living and particularly congratulated the beneficiaries of the scheme for taking a bold step to acquire innovative skills to boost their enterprises.

The State Chief Executive described the scheme as an answer to the yearnings of Nigerians for the emergence of small and medium scale industrialisation programme as it is done in other developing nations stressing that it has come at a time the nation is battling the prevailing economic recession by exploring other means of generating revenue following the decline in the oil revenue at the International market.

Governor Emmanuel who stated that the scheme was to ginger Akwa Ibom youths and by extension Nigerian youths to explore other avenues for economic growth through aggressive Agricultural enterprise which has a viable value chain explained that his commitment to undertake the cocoa maintenance and production scheme as well as Coconut Oil Refinery was to boost the state’s economy as the price of cocoa and coconut oil are higher than crude oil in the international market.

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He pointed out that his administration would continue to encourage cocoa cultivation by providing incentives to farmers who cultivate at least five hectares and explained that if the state can cultivate a hundred hectares of cocoa it will regain it ranking as one of the major producer of the crop.

“Akwa Ibom used to be the fourth largest producer of cocoa in Nigeria and we are ready to get back there. Our target, which is very measurable, is that in the next one and half year, we want to double current production.  In the next three years, we expect to have up to 70,000 to 80,000 acres of cocoa plantation in Akwa Ibom. I am sure, with that we will rank among the first two in Nigeria”. The Governor stated.

The Governor pointed out that the specie of cocoa produced in the state has the best flavour and that a business retreat to brainstorm on how to utilize the various natural endowments to create wealth would be held to enable the State go into large scale production of cassava, tomatoes, vegetables and other cash crops with the appliction of the right tecnology to feed industries and for both local consumption and export.

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Setting the tone for the event, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Technical Matters, Elder Ufot Ebong said that AKEES is a franchise scheme incorporating technical and vocational skill acquisition and entrepreneurial training designed for the implementation of the state government’s new Enterprise Development Programme.

He added that the scheme aims at empowering unemployed youths to acquire skills that would enable them produce goods and services that compete with those in other climes adding that the project is in line with the Dakkada philosophy which encourages Akwa Ibom people to rise to greatness in whatever their hand finds to do.

Elder Ebong who informed the people that AKEES programme is free for participation with no age or qualification barrier stated that beneficiaries have opportunity to acquire entrepreuneurial skills without incurring heavy startup costs and that on completion of their training the participants would be deployed to a business franchise to practice their trade.

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The initiative according to the special Assistant is to re-awaken the spirit of enterprise  among youths and position them to benefit from the industrialisation programme of the State government.

At the event guest speakers including a one-time Attorney General Mr Kanu Agabi, Information and Communication Technology Expert, Dr Emmanuel Ekuwem, Prof. Vincent Anigbogu and Dr Adelaja Adesina, expressed appreciation to the Governor for sowing the seed for enterpreneurial development among the youths saying it would germinate to reposition the state on the Nigerian industrial map and economic sustainability and urged the participants to inculcate the virtue of hard work and team play to boost their creative enterprise.

The event featured exhibition of goods and services undertaken by small and medium scale entrepreneurs and the presentation of Souvenir by the Coordinator of AKEES, Mr. Ufot Ebong to Governor Udom Emmanuel.