Eight hundred entrepreneurs in Akwa Ibom State have smiled home with a business grant of N500,000 each.
The business boost is courtesy of the State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, in line with the industrial advancement and wealth creation aspirations of the ARISE Agenda.
The amount totalling N400 million comes under the state’s Entrepreneurship Accelerator Programme (EAP).
Presenting the cheques at the Government House Banquet Hall, Uyo, the governor congratulated the beneficiaries for successfully going through the programme and described them as ambassadors of the EAP.
According to him, “I like to say here that whether this programme will continue or not depends on you because you are the ambassadors of this ram.” You are not all new to business or entrepreneurship. I am not concerned about the little seed that’ll be put in your hands, but about the training you’ve received.”
The governor, who took time to advise the beneficiaries on some business tips, said, “Everything you need to succeed is in your hands. For now, don’t be politicians; just be entrepreneurs. This is an opportunity for you to have a primary address. If you’ve got a primary address, politics is secondary.
“People will respect you for what you can do. This little money is a seed, and if you plant it well, it will bring a mighty harvest. I remember that, in this state, I opened my hotel with just five rooms, and a few years later, we had grown exponentially.
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“The first thing is that you must make up your mind 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 added.
The governor, who was moved by compassion while presenting a check to a physically challenged beneficiary, Mr. Jones Okon Akpan of Jones Manufacturing, directed that he be given a good means of mobility as well as additional support.
In his remarks, the team leader of Ibom Leadership and Entrepreneurship Development, Pastor Imoabasi Jacob, appreciated the governor for his vision, commitment and support for the Akwa Ibom business community and assured that, given the quality training given to the beneficiaries, the grants would yield the desired dividends.
Presenting a keynote address, the Head of Alumni Directorate and Support Services, Enterprise Development Centre, Pan-Atlantic University (EDC) Lagos, Ms. Nnena Ugwu, advised the beneficiaries to cultivate a culture of discipline, commitment and focus to enable them to succeed in their different business ventures.
Also speaking, the Director General of the Umo Eno/Akon Eyakenyi campaign, Chief Assam Assam SAN, appreciated the governor for keeping to his campaign promises and advised the beneficiaries to see the seed money as a springboard that will put them on the global map of entrepreneurship.
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 lifetime empowerment for 800 Akwa Ibomites.
They assured me that the grant would be judiciously used for the expansion of their businesses and the greater good of the state.
The high point of the event was the presentation of checks to beneficiaries from the different programmes, including the Ibom-LED Entrepreneurship Accelerator Programme (EAP), the Ibom-LED Business Leadership and Entrepreneurship Programme (BLEP), the Ibom-LED Business Mastery Programme (BMP), and the Ibom-LED Start-Up Accelerator and Incubation Programme (SAIP).
