Akwa Ibom State government on Monday flagged off its vocational empowerment programme tagged ‘Ibom 3000 project’ where a total number of 3000 youths drawn across the 31 LGAs of the State would be trained and empowered to carry on with existing Small and Medium Enterprises or for start ups.
The governor of the State, Udom Emmanuel at the event held in Ibom Hall grounds Uyo, said the scheme was meant to improve the capacities of youths in the State in diverse vocational, technical, entrepreneurial and managerial skills in Oil and Gas, Agribusiness, ICT and SMEs to enable them secure gainful employment.
Represented by his deputy, Mr Moses Ekpo, the governor maintained that SMEs remained the backbone of an economy 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 patronize SMEs as key drivers of the state economy but would focus on creating and driving viable SMEs inorder to improve their contribution to the Gross Domestic Product of the state.
He explained that 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
In a welcome remark, State Commissioner for Trade and Investment, Barr Ukpong Akpabio said that the overall goal of the scheme is to train youths to be self reliant and relevant in the emerging opportunities in the upcoming Ibom Deep Seaport, the Oil and Gas Free trade Zone and other industrialization programme of the state government.
He said, “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 our 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 for the development of Small and Medium Scale Enterprises to compliment the efforts of the state industrialization and it’s potentials for employment generation.”
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 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 accommodation and feed the trainees during their 2-6 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.
