Akwa Ibom State Governor Mr Udom Emmanuel has charged youths of the
\nState to explore the abundant economic potentials to create wealth for
\nsustainability and self reliance.<\/p>\n
Governor Emmanuel gave the charge during the launching of Akwa Ibom
\nEnterprise and Employment Scheme (AKEES) held at Ibom Hall, Uyo.<\/p>\n
He said God has endowed the state with enormous human and natural
\nresources that can be utilised to grow the economy, earn a living and
\nparticularly congratulated the beneficiaries of the scheme for taking
\na bold step to acquire innovative skills to boost their enterprises.<\/p>\n
The State Chief Executive described the scheme as an answer to the
\nyearnings of Nigerians for the emergence of small and medium scale
\nindustrialisation programme as it is done in other developing nations
\nstressing that it has come at a time the nation is battling the
\nprevailing economic recession by exploring other means of generating
\nrevenue following the decline in the oil revenue at the International
\nmarket.<\/p>\n
Governor Emmanuel who stated that the scheme was to ginger Akwa Ibom
\nyouths and by extension Nigerian youths to explore other avenues for
\neconomic growth through aggresive Agricultural enterprise which has a
\nviable value chain explained that his commitment to undertake the
\ncocoa maintenance and production scheme as well as Coconut Oil
\nRefinery was to boost the state’s economy as the price of cocoa and
\ncoconut oil are higher than crude oil in the international market.<\/p>\n
He pointed out that his administration would continue to encourage
\ncocoa cultivation by providing incentives to farmers who cultivate at
\nleast five hectares and explained that if the state can cultivate a
\nhundred hectares of cocoa it will regain it ranking as one of the
\nmajor producer of the crop.<\/p>\n
“Akwa Ibom used to be the fourth largest producer of cocoa in Nigeria
\nand we are ready to get back there. Our target, which is very
\nmeasurable, is that in the next one and half year, we want to double
\ncurrent production.\u00a0 In the next three years, we expect to have up to
\n70,000 to 80,000 acres of cocoa plantation in Akwa Ibom. I am sure,
\nwith that we will rank among the first two in Nigeria”. The Governor
\nstated.<\/p>\n
The Governor pointed out that the specie of cocoa produced in the
\nstate has the best flavour and that a business retreat to brainstorm
\non how to utilize the various natural endowments to create wealth
\nwould be held to enable the State go into large scale production of
\ncassava, tomatoes, vegetables and other cash crops with the appliction
\nof the right tecnology to feed industries and for both local
\nconsumption and export.<\/p>\n
Setting the tone for the event, the Senior Special Assistant to the
\nGovernor on Technical Matters, Elder Ufot Ebong said that AKEES is a
\nfranchise scheme incorporating technical and vocational skill
\nacquisition and entrepreneurial training designed for the
\nimplementation of the state government’s new Enterprise Development
\nProgramme.<\/p>\n
He added that the scheme aims at empowering unemployed youths to
\nacquire skills that would enable them produce goods and services that
\ncompete with those in other climes adding that the project is in line
\nwith the Dakkada philosophy which encourages Akwa Ibom people to rise
\nto greatness in whatever their hand finds to do.<\/p>\n
Elder Ebong who informed the people that AKEES programme is free for
\nparticipation with no age or qualification barrier stated that
\nbeneficiaries have opportunity to acquire entrepreuneurial skills
\nwithout incurring heavy startup costs and that on completion of their
\ntraining the participants would be deployed to a business franchise to
\npractice their trade.<\/p>\n
The initiative according to the special Assistant is to re-awaken the
\nspirit of enterprise\u00a0 among youths and position them to benefit from
\nthe industrialisation programme of the State government.<\/p>\n
At the event guest speakers including a one time Attorney General Mr
\nKanu Agabi, Information and Communication Technology Expert, Dr
\nEmmanuel Ekuwem, Prof. Vincent Anigbogu and Dr Adelaja Adesina,
\nexpressed appreciation to the Governor for sowing the seed for
\nenterpreneurial development among the youths saying it would germinate
\nto reposition the state on the Nigerian industrial map and economic
\nsustainability and urged the participants to inculcate the virtue of
\nhard work and team play to boost their creative enterprise.<\/p>\n
The event featured exhibition of goods and services undertaken by
\nsmall and medium scale entrepreneurs and the presentation of Souvenir
\nby the Coordinator of AKEES, Mr. Ufot Ebong to Governor Udom Emmanuel.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Akwa 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…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":44485,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-48203","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n