THURSDAY March 13, 2025 |TheNewsDESK
By Ekemini JAMES
From the inception of Governor Umo Eno’s administration, entrepreneurial development has received varying degrees of attention in line with his economic blueprint, The ARISE agenda.
This agenda serves as a visionary plan aimed at propelling the State’s socio-economic growth and transforming the lives of its citizens.
Driven by the conviction that true prosperity lies in economic diversification and sustainable development, the Governor has placed entrepreneurial development at the centre stage of his policy drive.
A keen observer of his administration can attest to the premise that this is not merely governance as usual; it is a calculated stride towards a future unshackled from the volatility of oil dependence–a bold shift towards a future beyond oil.
In the brief yet impactful span of twenty months, Governor Eno has distinguished himself as a leader with an eye cast firmly on the horizon. Under his stewardship, the state has undergone profound transformation, with its economic gears shifting towards a more sustainable trajectory.
The foundation of this transformation is the investment in agriculture, the first component of the ARISE agenda, and the development of an enterpreneurial economy built upon the pillars of entrepreneurship, innovation, and the cultivation of a strong middle class.
Evidence of this shift lies emphatically in the various entrepreneurial development initiatives championed by Governor Umo Eno’s administration across the state.
A powerful demonstration of this economic renaissance materialized on March 11, 2025, with the launch of the ARISE Entrepreneurial Equipment Support Scheme which directly empowered over 2,000 Akwa Ibom entrepreneurs, providing them with 10,000 essential equipment sets alongside cash prizes for educational excellence.
It was not mere philanthropy, but a calculated investment in human potential thoughtfully designed to provide targeted resources to entrepreneurs across a spectrum of vital crafts.
Tailors received advanced sewing machines, barbers were equipped with modern grooming tools, shoemakers got improved machinery, and countless others were given the tools to elevate their trades.
In addition, 77 mini buses and 31 saloon cars were presented to beneficiaries to further enhance their mobility and business operations.
Supporting educational excellence,
Governor Eno also recognized outstanding educational achievements through the Academic Excellence Award and Exceptional Grit Award. Edidiong Essien, who scored 8 As in the 2023 West African School Certificate Examination, received N10 million while Dr. Joseph Akpan, a medical doctor who scored 10 distinctions, was awarded full tuition and living expenses to study for a master’s degree in any University of his choice abroad.
The Governor also donated N15 million to five students who triumphed in the Singapore-Bilateral International School Debate, with an additional N5 million granted to their dedicated teachers.
Through empowering SMEs and supporting educational excellence, the Governor is already creating a thriving middle class that will drive economic growth and development.
In a revealing statement, the Governor articulated his vision, stating that his best legacy would be the number of lives he would have positively impacted through entrepreneurial support schemes.
Today, Akwa Ibom State is leading in the various aspects of the ARISE Agenda in view of building a post-oil Akwa Ibom; one economically diversified beyond oil dependence.
Governor Umo Eno has come to reawaken the spirit of enterprise enterprise deeply embedded within the Akwa Ibom people. Through strategic policies focused on agriculture, comprehensive skill acquisition programs, and proactive job creation initiatives.
His performance within the last twenty months in office has exceeded expectations, shocked, as well as silenced early critics.
His fiscal philosophy is distinctly pragmatic; he is not an advocate for indiscriminate spending. Instead, he commits to empowering citizens with the means to create sustainable wealth for themselves. His approach is rooted in equipping individuals with the tools and knowledge necessary to achieve economic independence, self-reliance, and emancipation from economic stagnation and pervasive poverty.
The Ibom-LED initiative serves as a prime example of this philosophy in action. Under Ibom-LED, the Governor has so far trained over 1,500 budding entrepreneurs in various skills, resulting in a quantum leap with far-reaching impact.
Expanding on this, 400 female youths who recently graduated from Ibom-LED were given 500,000 naira each for business capital plus 250,000 naira for renting of shops. These will have a multiplier effect in the next few months thereby reducing unemployment and promoting wealth creation.
The Dakkada Skills Acquisition Centre (DASAC) in Ikot Ada Idem, Ibiono Ibom Local Government Area further exemplifies the commitment to grassroots empowerment. 200 youths selected across the 31 Local Government Areas just graduated from free training with a monthly transport allowance of ₦20,000 per person throughout the training duration in various courses.
To further demonstrate his administration’s proactive stance on youth empowerment, Governor Eno recently disbursed a total of ₦750 million to 15,000 unemployed youths selected across the State as part of the Governor’s initiatives to support unemployed youths while waiting employment oppourtunities.
In agriculture, more than 100 young people have been trained by the current administration in Integrated farming. Looking ahead, the Ibom Model Farm in Nsit Ubium is poised to become a transformative asset. Upon completion, it is projected to serve not only as a vibrant tourism destination and thriving business hub, but also as a key source of employment that will create approximately 1,000 direct jobs for Akwa Ibom youths, excluding the extensive value chain opportunities it will generate.
In line with his economic advancement plan to drive business growth, the Governor has partnered with the Bank of Industry to boost SMEs at a single digit interest.
With the presence of BOI in the State and 2 billion counterpart funds provided by the State Government, entrepreneurs can now have access to low-interest and long-term loans to support and expand their businesses, create more job oppourtunities, and contribute to the overall development of the State.
Indeed, one can make bold to say that all the policies and Initiatives of Governor Umo Eno’s administration are youth-oriented. From the one project per Local Government, construction of compassionate homes, construction of model primary schools, to other infrastructural development where young people are already working at different sites and serving as resource persons.
Many may see his gestures and initiatives as mere philanthropy, but from a place of introspection, his vision is clear; and it is that of a strategic and intentional roadmap towards a future of economic renaissance.
Unarguably, his commitment to human capital development, strategic investments in entrepreneurship and innovation, and his passion for youth empowerment deserves commendation.
Amidst criticisms and acclaim, he remains a leader with a profound conviction in the power of skills development in repositioning the state’s economy, while simultaneously ensuring the prosperity and self-sufficiency of its people.
