‘We’re preparing youths for emerging opportunities’

The Akwa Ibom State Government has declared that its ‘Ibom 3,000 Project’ is aimed at preparing youths with necessary skills for employment in the Hi-tech Industry within and outside the state.

Commissioner for Trade and Investment, Ukpong Akpabio, stated this during the opening ceremony for the training of 3,000 youths by Governor Udom Emmanuel in Uyo, adding that projects like the Ibom Deep Seaport were targeted at such goals.

He said the scheme was a deliberate attempt to identify, train, mentor, empower and build capacity of new and existing Medium and Small Enterprises (SMEs) and Start Ups across the state.

Governor Emmanuel pointed out that the scheme, which is at its first phase, was meant to improve the youths’ capacity in different vocational, technical, entrepreneurial and managerial skills in Oil and Gas, Agribusiness, Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and SMEs to enable them to secure gainful employment.

MEANWHILE, the European Union (EU), Economic Community of West African States (EU-ECOWAS) and Leadership Initiative for Transformation and Empowerment (LITE-Africa) in collaboration with the Akwa Iboma State Government have commenced training for 150 former militants from Ukanafun and Etim Ekpo councils of the state.

The Guardian learnt that the ex-militants were mobilised from Uyo yesterday to undergo skills acquisition and training in various parts of the country.

Addressing the youth before their departure, Governor Emmanuel, who was represented by Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Emmanuel Ekuwem, commended them for accepting the amnesty granted them and for surrendering their arms.

The governor, who announced financial support for their upkeep, charged them to the training seriously.

Also speaking, Executive Director of LITE Africa, Joel Bisina, said to promote peace, reduce armed conflicts and small arms proliferation in the country, LITE-Africa and the Presidential Committee on Small Arms and Light Weapons (PRESCOM) were working to strengthen efforts to prevent trafficking of small arms and light weapons (SALW) in Nigeria.