Akwa Ibom State government has urged its youths to take advantage of the N2 billion Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) Development Fund of the Bank Of Industry, (BOI).
The State Commissioner for Information, Aniekan Umana flanked by his counterpart in the Ministry of health, Dr Ekem Emmanuel John and other media aides to governor Umo Eno gave the charge on Tuesday at a periodic press conference in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State capital.
Umana while encouraging the youths to position themselves by taking advantage of various skill development programmes of the state government through the Dakkada Skills Acquisition Centre (DASAC) and Ibom Leadership and Entrepreneurial Development Centre (Ibom-LED), noted that people across Nigeria are already taking advantage of the opportunity to make a good living for themselves.
The commissioner who expressed governor Eno’s passion in human capital development and compassionate initiatives such as building of houses for widows and vulnerable, said over N12 billion had been spent so far in empowering Akwa Ibom Citizens. He enumerated the funds to include, N2billion for farmers grant, N2 billion traders grant, MSMEs fund including the N2billion BOI funds.
His words, “We want our people to take advantage of BOI opening, this is what people are taking advantage of across the country. That is why you see His Excellency, the governor doing so much to prepare the youths with requisite skills for self sustenance through Ibom led and prepare them for empowerment.”
He also revealed that the state government had injected N100 million into creative industry fund inorder to enhance talent development, capacity building, and expand opportunities for the entertainment, film and allied sector.
While reeling out the impactful projects and programmes of the governor in all sectors of the economy, the commissioner sought the peoples support and cooperation in ensuring that the Arise agenda is implemented.
“The Governor launched the State Security Trust Fund, inaugurated the 4th batch of the Ibom-LED Entrepreneur Accelerator Programme, convened the maiden Electricity Summit, supervised the distribution of the third phase of ARISE food packages across all 31 LGAs, commissioned 17.33km of roads in partnership with the FCT Minister, and presented official vehicles to all former Deputy Governors.” He said.
Speaking, the commissioner for Health, Dr Ekem John
said governor’s declaration of state of emergency in the health sector would be yielding positive result in no distant time. He added that some enabling but moribund laws on public health would be reviewed with the help of Ministry of Justice following the governor’s directives.
“When you look at public health law of Akwa Ibom, it’s still the one at the colonial times, it’s going to undergo review that again requires the expertise and collaboration of the ministry of Justice, these are things we expect, a systematic reform, that before December we would have a holistic Akwa Ibom health sector reform law.” He said.
He also announced the governor’s directives to offer contract jobs to health workers who retire not later than 10 years back, that are strong and medically fit who wish to still render their services and abide by the conditions of service. He added that about 200 retirees have applied since last week assuring that they would be employed in addition to 2000 fulltime health workers recruited recently.
Speaking on the State Health Insurance Scheme, the Commissioner urged the people to take advantage of the opportunity as the beneficiary will only pay 3.5percent from their basic salary while the state government make up the 6.5percent in their hospital bills.He noted that the Agency has introduced a digital self enrollment platform to enable individuals register on the scheme from anywhere in the world.
John added, “The governor launched the Akwa Ibom State emergency medical services and ambulance system, 31 ambulances working and over 600 emergencies picked between match 1 and September 30 and today Akwa Ibom is assured of medical grade oxygen. Before now we used to have oxygen imported from neighboring state and the quality of the oxygen cannot be guaranteed, now we have three medical oxygen’s functioning in Akwa Ibom at Itu Mbang, General hospital,Ukpom Abak and Immanuel hospital Eket. We produce enough oxygen to cover all health facilities in Akwa Ibom. State.”
