Newsfront Online …Telling the Public as it is
…Says More Training Underway
Akwa Ibom State government through the Centre for Ethical and Moral Leadership (CEMOL), the Ministry of Agriculture and the Institute for National Transformation, Nigeria has conducted a two week Youth Empowerment in Agribusiness Programme for 50 Akwa Ibom youths.
Addressing participants at the Catholic Pastoral Centre, Uyo, recently, the governor, Mr Udom Emmanuel stated that the youths and agriculture are key in the development plan of the state government, hence the need for huge investments in both sectors.
In his words, “our hope for this training is that you will use it well. You have been trained. I have spoken with the Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr Offiong Offor and Prof. Vincent Anigbogu that you will be constantly trained and monitored so that in due course, you will be promoted” he said.
Represented by the Commissioner for Lands and Water Resources, Mr Iniobong Ekong, the governor urged the beneficiaries to exhibit total focus and commitment in their various agricultural ventures.
In his remarks, the Secretary to the state government, Dr Emmanuel Ekuwem noted that the Udom Emmanuel administration is committed to youth development and empowerment.
Represented by the Attorney General/Commissioner for Justice, Uko Udom SAN, the Secretary to the government urged the participants to make the state enviable in agriculture by practicalising the skills learnt during the training.
“I see in your faces the hope of the future.” I see the voices, the assurances that you know, that you will succeed and that you owe it to yourself and the state that you must succeed so that others may have the same opportunity. You have a lot of responsibility to put to practice what you have learnt so you can come out and be the pride of the state” he said.
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr Offiong Offor, who described the training as an investment, charged participants to ensure that the knowledge gained results in improved productivity.
The Agric boss intimated that the skills learnt are to foster agricultural entrepreneurs who will achieve the Udom Emmanuel administration’s food sufficiency goals, create employment opportunities and give the state comparative advantage in agriculture.
In a separate goodwill messages, the Executive Director of CEMOL, Prof Vincent Anigbogu and the Director, Veterinary and Pest Control Services, Ministry of Agriculture, Dr Obot Obot noted that the project was aimed at equipping the beneficiaries with the essential agricultural knowledge and skill sets required to make significant advances in agribusinesses, which will result in increased productivity, processing, packaging, and marketing of IBOM brands of agricultural products and services towards wealth creation in the state.
Also, speaking on behalf of the trainees, the class governor, Mr Francis Edet, thanked the governor for the opportunity and pledged to deploy the knowledge acquired during the training towards improving the economy of the state.
The programme featured excursions, lectures, onsite practical experience, presentation of business plans by participants, among others. Resource persons at the event were: Prof Edna Akpan of the Crop Science department, Akwa Ibom State University (AKSU), Prof. Edna Akpan of the Crop Science department, AKSU, Prof Isongesit Solomon of the Animal Science department, University of Uyo (UNIUYO), the Dean, Faculty of Agriculture, AKSU, Prof. Brandson Akpan, Ms Blessing Akpan, Chief Executive Officer, Inyere Agro Processing Factory among others.
