By Bassey Nkponam
UYO
The Akwa Ibom government has disbursed N400 million as start-up grants to the 800 trained beneficiaries of the State’s Entrepreneurship Acceleration Programme (EAP), coordinated by the Ibom Leadership and Entrepreneurship Development(Ibom LED), with each beneficiary going home with N500,000.
At a presentation ceremony, which took place, Thursday, at the Banquet Hall, Governor’s Office, Uyo, the State governor, Pastor Umo Eno, presented cheques to beneficiaries drawn from the different programmes including Ibom-LED Entrepreneurship Accelerator Programme (EAP), Ibom-LED Business Leadership and Entrepreneurship Programme (BLEP), Ibom-LED Business Mastery Programme (BMP), and Ibom-LED Start-Up Accelerator and Incubation Programme (SAIP), describing the grants as seed which, if well planted, will bring a mighty harvest.
Eno who described the beneficiaries as ambassadors of the EAP, congratulated them for successfully going through, and completing the programme.
He explained to beneficiaries that whether the programme will continue or not, depends on them, as they are not totally new in businesses or entrepreneurship, saying,“Iam not concerned about the little seed that will be put in your hands, but the training you’ve received”.
Eno, who gave them business tips, said everything beneficiaries require to succeed is in their hands, urging them not to behave like politicians, but as entrepreneurs, as this was an opportunity for them to have a primary address, adding that with a primary address, politics becomes secondary.
According to him, beneficiaries will be respected for what they can do, recalling that he commenced his hotel business in the State with just five rooms, and few years later, the hotel has grown exponentially.
The governor pointed out that the first thing beneficiaries should do is to make up their minds to succeed, and that in such determination, there is bound to be a place of sacrifice and self-denial, saying, “people will tell you all manner of things, don’t mind them. Your time will soon arrive.”
Eno urged them to stay around the community that has been created for them, rather than trying to impress people, stressing that, “As a government, we’ll continue to support you. This is just the beginning.”
The team lead of Ibom Leadership and Entrepreneurship Development, Pastor Imoabasi Jacob, appreciated Governor Eno for the vision, commitment and support for the Akwa Ibom business community, assuring that with the quality of training given the beneficiaries, the grants will yield the desired dividends.
In his keynote address, the head of Alumni Directorate and Support Services, Enterprise Development Center, Pan-Atlantic University (EDC), Lagos, MsNnena Ugwu, advised the beneficiaries to cultivate the culture of discipline, commitment and focus to enable them succeed in their different businesses.
Responding on behalf of the beneficiaries, the Alumni President for Batch 1, Mr Daniel Esetang, appreciated the governor for the vision which has translated to a life-time empowerment for 800 people of the State, assuring that the grant will be judiciously used to expand their businesses and for the benefit of the State.
Discussion about this post