The Akwa Ibom state Governor, Mr Udom Emmanuel, on Monday flagged off the training of 3,000 youths in a scheme meant to train, empower and build capacity of existing Small and Medium Enterprises, (SMEs) and start ups across the 31 local government councils of the state.
The scheme tagged, “Ibom 3,000 Project” is meant to improve the capacities of youths in the state in diverse vocational, technical, entreprenueral and managerial skills in oil and gas, agribusiness, ICT and SMEs to enable them secure gainful employment.
At the occasion in Uyo, Emmanuel who was represented by his deputy, Mr Moses Ekpo, said SMEs remained the backbone of economies as they generate local capital and high level of productivity resulting in economic growth and as such the scheme remained strategic in building capacities of youths in the state.
The governor said the state government would continue to patronise SMEs as key drivers of the state economy but would focus on creating and driving viable SMEs in order to improve their contribution to the gross domestic product of the state.
He said beneficiaries were identified and selected from across the three Senatorial districts of the state, and charged them to take advantage of the programme and rise to the height of their area of interest.
The state Commissioner for Trade and Investment, Barr Ukpong Akpabio, said the overall goal of the scheme was to train youths to be self reliant and relevant in the emerging opportunities in the upcoming Deep Seaport, the Oil and Gas Free trade Zone and other industrialisation programme of the state government.
“Our assembling here is a call to duty and a sober reflection on the persistent demand placed on us by our people to pioneer and supervise events that will signal a new beginning of proper coordination and implementation of the vision of oir Governor to drive employment and investment in our society through Ibom 3,000 Project.
“The immediate and long term outcome is to lay a solid foundation bfor the development of Small and Medium Scale Enterprises to compliment the efforts of the state industrialization and it’s potentials for employment generation,” Akpabio said.
The commissioner who commended the governor for his foresight and support for the programme also thanked investors and partners who have continued to stand behind the scheme meant to secure a brighter future for youths of the state.
Ukpong further stated that but for the COVID-19 pandemic, the initial plan was to train 9,000 each year for three years even as the ministry was forced to reduce the number of beneficiaries to 3,000 each year inorder to accommodate COVID-19 protocols.
He said the state government would cater for the accomodation and feed the trainees during their two to six months duration of training while arrangements have been made for camps for the trainees depending on their area of need.
He appealed to the beneficiaries to be committed and dedicated to their training as this would build their confidence and resolve to be independent minded and diligent as ambassadors to keep the vision afloat, meet the objectives of the vision and the problem it would seem to address.
