The sum of N500,000.00 have been shared to each of the 800 entrepreneurs who recently completed training at Entrepreneurship Accelerator Programme ( EAP) put in place by the administration of Pastor Umo Eno to equip entrepreneurs in the state with requisite skills to succeed in business.
Among the graduands is a physically challenged, Mr Jones Akpan of Ibiaku Itam in Itu Local Government Area who received an additional N1,000,000.00 (One million naira) after he made a presentation of a shoe from his Jones Manufacturing Shoe firm to the governor.
At the Banquet Hall of Akwa Ibom State Government House, Jones Akpan made a presentation of a pair of shoes to the governor, prompting and overflow of milk of human kindness.
At the end of weeks of intensive training similar to what is obtained in Lagos and London Business Schools, the state government empowered them with a seed money of N 500,000.00 (five hundred thousand naira) each from a pool of N400,000,000.00(Four Hundred million naira only).
Addressing the graduands Governor Umo Eno handed out some business tips saying, “everything you need to succeed is in your hands. For now, don’t be politicians, just be an entrepreneur. This is an opportunity for you to have a primary address. If you’ve a primary address, politics is secondary”
He advised the beneficiaries to be prudent with the seed money given to them assuring that government will always support them to grow in business.
“The first thing is that you must make up your minds to succeed and in that determination, there will be a place of sacrifice and self denial. People will tell you all manner of things, don’t mind them. Your time will soon arrive. Above all, this community has been created; stay around the community and don’t try to impress people. As a government, we’ll continue to support you. This is just the beginning,” he advised
In their separate messages of appreciation, the General Manager of Ibom-LED, Mrs. Ekaette Umoh, and the Alumni President for Batch 1, Daniel Esetang, appreciated the Governor for the vision which according to them has translated to a life-time empowerment for 800 Akwa Ibomites.
High point of the event was the presentation of cheques to beneficiaries from the different programmes including; Ibom-LED Entrepreneurship Accelerator Programme (EAP), Ibom-LED Business Leadership and Entrepreneurship Programme (BLEP), Ibom-LED Business Mastery Programme (BMP), and Ibom-LED Start-Up Accelerator and Incubation Programme (SAIP).
The additional gift to Mr Jones Akpan has attracted commendation from Comrade Ubong Ikpe, Personal Assistant to the governor on People with Disabilities who appreciated the governor for being inclusive in governance and for being kind to people with disabilities as seen in the additional support to Jones Akpan of Jones Shoe Manufacturing.
