A’Ibom Farmers, Entrepreneurs To Get N5.1 Billion Empowerment Scheme
Farmers, traders, and entrepreneurs in Akwa Ibom State are to receive over N5.1 billion in grants and equipment support under Governor Umo Eno’s administration’s ongoing ARISE empowerment programme.
Under the scheme, N2 billion is earmarked as a grant to support individuals, corporate and commercial farmers; another N2 billion is for validated traders across the 31 LGAs. At the same time, operators of Micro, Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (MSMEs) will receive support in terms of equipment to the tune of N800 million, as well as a special grant of N310 million to be won by two farmers in each of the 31 LGAs of the state.
The Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Ekerete Udoh, who made this known during a press briefing at Government House, Uyo, highlighted the Governor’s strides in advancing Akwa Ibom’s economic development and commended journalists in the state for their cooperation and promotion of the ARISE Agenda of the Governor Umo Eno-led administration.
He affirmed that the first set of 50 beneficiaries of the ARISE Home Garden programme will be awarded N500,000 each in an atmosphere of excitement, conviviality and celebration of the Akwa Ibom spirit of oneness on February 6, 2025, at the Amphitheatre, Udo Udoma Avenue, Uyo.
Mr. Ekerete Udoh further affirmed that the Town Hall meetings scheduled for the latter part of February 2025 will feature four other components of the ARISE empowerment programme: traders, farmers and MSMEs within the respective LGAs.
Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on ICT and subject matter expert on the empowerment programmes’ database management, Dr. Frank Ekpenyong, in his presentation, took journalists on a tour of the ARISE MSMEs Portal and gave assurances that due diligence has been done to check identity conflicts and duplicity while also ensuring ease of navigation for verifiable entrepreneurs.
Ekpenyong therefore urged Akwa Ibom people to log onto the portal (smegrants.akwaibomstate.gov.ng) and take advantage of the governor’s gesture to extend economic empowerment to citizens across various strata and enhance the state’s economy through investments in agriculture and MSMEs.
He added that beneficiaries would be chosen digitally through an unbiased process.
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Another subject matter expert, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Entrepreneurial Development, Mr. Ime Uwah, described the ARISE Entrepreneurial Support Scheme as a deliberate approach by Governor Eno to empower real and verifiable entrepreneurs, adding that the Ibom Leadership and Entrepreneurial Development Centre (Ibom LED) is doing due diligence to interpret the Governor’s vision by giving usable guides for budding entrepreneurs while supporting existing ones to expand.
Also speaking, the Chairman Nigeria Union of Journalists, Akwa Ibom State Council, Comrade Amos Etuk, described Governor Eno’s entrepreneurial development strides as laying the foundation for economic growth and capable of stimulating the economy of the state.
The Akwa Ibom State NUJ Chairman therefore assured of continuous cooperation of the media in terms of promoting the positive strides of the Governor Umo Eno-led government.
