Senator representing Akwa Ibom North East Senatorial district, Senator Bassey Akpan on Thursday empowered about 247 persons in his constituency who have undergone a five day entrepreneurial development training programme in Small and Medium scale in Enterprise.
The beneficiaries mainly youths and women drawn from the nine local government areas in the Senatorial district received the sum of N20,000 each and starter packs of hair dressing and beauty grooming.
The training which preceded the empowerment was facilitated by senator Akpan in conjunction with the Small and medium enterprises development agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN)- Couldron Nigeria Limited and Karama Industrial ventures Limited as the lead consultants
Addressing the participants, Senator Akpan said the training was part of strategic empowerment programme sought to boost the entrepreneurial development skills of women and youth of Akwa Ibom North East senatorial district.
While urging the beneficiaries to put to use the knowledge acquired from the programme, Akpan stressed that the training initiative was an opportunity for the participants to sharpen their entrepreneurship skills, which he noted was needed for the 21st century business environment.
Represented by Dr Unyime Okon, the Senator also charged them to make judicious use of the financial assistance that was given them.
However in a lecture delivered by one of the lead consultants, Mr Etuk Jacob, participants were drilled on business survival skills, director’s remuneration, profit maximisation , setting and achieving of business goals.
One of the beneficiaries, Ekong Okon from Ibesikpo Asutan local government area lauded the facilitator for the opportunity offered them to gain knowledge, and assured that they would make optimum use of the training initiative.
The participants were taken through some courses in basic finance sources, customer relations and principles of book-keeping.
