Business

Mr Aniekan Bassey gave the charge during the presentation of seed money to the beneficiaries of the 12th and 13th edition of the scheme at the conference room of the Assembly Complex in Uyo recently, saying the scheme was to encourage young entrepreneurs in expanding various businesses to improve on their status economically in line with Gov Udom Emmanuel's Completion agenda. Represented by the member for Etinan State Constituency and chairman, House Committee on Information, Mr Aniekan Dennis, the speaker maintained that the initiative was borne out of sheer love for enterprise development through small and medium enterprise scheme (SMES). The commissioner for special duties, Mr Okpolupm Etteh, lauded the contributions of the speaker to the success of Gov Udom Emmanuel's Completion Agenda through the youth enterprise development, tasking them to be hardworking, as well as ensuring that their prizes are properly used.

Represented by the permanent secretary, Mr Effiong Efiakedoh, he thanked the speaker for thoroughly driving the Governor's Dakkada Philosophy to the youths and for adding value to the success of the completion agenda. Etteh further supported the beneficiaries with the sum of N30,000 each, urging them to be diligent, prudent, dedicated and committed to their duties. The commissioner for local government and chieftaincy affairs, Mr Frank Archibong, noted that fostering entrepreneurship was the key to expanding employment opportunities for Akwa Ibom youths. Represented by the permanent secretary, Elder Ini James Ikie, Archibong commended the effort of RHAB-YESS towards complementing Gov Udom Emmanuel's successes in the area of creating jobs and increasing employment opportunities through entrepreneurship development. He charged the beneficiaries to see their involvement in entrepreneurship as their own way of contributing to the development of Akwa Ibom and Nigeria as a whole. The head of Insurance Department and director of the Centre for Entrepreneurial Studies, University of Uyo, Dr Sunday Akpan, who gave a talk on business, described the speaker as an angel investor. He charged young intending business owners to always thrive in ensuring that their ventures are good oriented, well planned out and with requisite management skills, stressing that money may not always be a hindrance to business owners. The manager of the scheme, Mr Darlington Udobong, said being an indigene of Akwa Ibom State remains the only eligibility to the scheme. Udobong, who is also the special assistant to the speaker on media and communications, added that the winners are chosen through an online contest that allows the public to vote and comment on any video of their choice as the video must capture their bio-data and what they do as entrepreneurs. Winners of the 12th edition are John Bassey Ekpenyong, a motor lubricant seller from Okobo Local Government Area was presented with a sum of N250,000; Mmeyene Akpabio a baker from Etinan Local Government Area who was presented with N150,000, while Edikan Monday John, a barber from Nsit Ubium Local Government Area, got N100,000. Winners of the 13th edition are Emem Edem Asuquo, a hair stylist from Uruan Local Government Area, who received N250,000, Happiness Ezekiel James, a petty trader from Essien Udoim Local Government Area, who received N150,000 while Anthony Etim, a physically challenges food stuff trader got the sum of N100,000. Also Godsaves Ubom, a computer repairer from Nsit Ibom Local Government and Paul Effiong, a fisherman from Uruan received the sum of N250,000.