Apprentices in Nwang in Mbo LGA of Akwa Ibom State are embarking on their entrepreneurship careers as their mentors celebrate with them.
…as the Mayor of Housing donated to the MBO Entrepreneurial Development Center
Mayor of Housing, Mai-Ace China has joined in encouraging youths in Akwa Ibom State to meet the required standards to reach N10m each in the multibillion naira Ano fund.
The Eno Fund has been established by Gok Umo Eno to help qualified young entrepreneurs access funds to develop top-class businesses.
Mbo LGA area has thus established an Entrepreneurship Development Center in Enwang town to train its indigenous people to meet the target. MBO leaders said they are targeting N1bn and plan to access the fund for 100 of the 300 youths currently being trained.
Thus the Mayor of Housing became involved in promoting self-reliance. He appears to have lit the fire of entrepreneurship in Akwa Ibom State, where he changed the slogan of “Rise and Shine” to ‘Rise and Fish’.
The Center has green-lighted the training of the first batch of 100 trainees, but the Housing Mayor is funding 30 of them.
In his keynote address at the inauguration of the center in Enwang, the headquarters of Mbo LGA, Mr China urged the Akwa Ibom government, leaders and politicians to ‘get up and go fishing’, saying it is past time for the youths to get up and share the money.
He began his speech by saying that he was attracted to Embo and Akwa Ibom State by Mr. Anthony Endemic, one of his special assistants who was made the Chairman of the Entrepreneurship Committee. To support Mr Endemic, he donated an initial N5m to help rebuild and set up the place. “Now, I am here to train 30 out of the 100 recruited so far. I will give N4.5m for their training in six months and after the training will give another N4.5m to equip the 30 and give each one a machine to start and take-off capital for each.”
Mr China, who is known as a real estate success strategist and Managing Director of Housing and Construction Mayor Limited, explained that MBO has set a standard of local government administration in the local government area.
He said the Speaker, Honorable Sunday Etim, is a rare leader. “He is systematically bringing people, especially the youth, out of poverty in installments of 100 at a time. So, if you have not established 300 youth in your area, you are not a local government chairman. So, get up and fish.
“So I urge the government to get up and catch fish! Political leaders, get up and catch fish, not by taking government money and giving a share to the people, but get up and catch fish. Big men, get up and catch fish.”
In her remarks, the Special Adviser on Entrepreneurship to the Akwa Ibom State Governor, Mrs. Meflin Awana, who is from Mbo LGA, disclosed that the Governor has set up a mega fund for entrepreneurs who can access N10m each to build world-class businesses.
Mrs. Anwana said she and her colleagues were working on how to provide 100 MBO entrepreneurs access to N10m from the fund. “Akwa Ibom is at the forefront of entrepreneurship. Most individuals fail to access Eno funds due to lack of proper financial, documentation and structure.”
He said the state took entrepreneurship seriously as one person would establish at least five persons if he was well established. “That is why we are extremely appreciative of the Mayor of Housing for helping us kickstart 30 individuals who will work hard to qualify for the ENO Fund.
Endemic, Chairman of the 'Entrepreneurship Committee', in his welcome address said that many businesses have been created in the center to drive the economy. He quoted Peter Drucker who said predict the future, create it. “The goal is to transform Mbo LGA, Akwa Ibom State and Nigeria. Productivity is the key innovation.”
On his part, Barr Effiong Abia said it was appropriate for the Governor to clearly state from the outset that he did not come to give fish to his people but to teach them how to fish. He described the MBO experiment as a great innovation and said that the Chairman has proved himself to be an able leader.
Others who delivered solidarity speeches at the council were the Vice President, Mrs. Iniobong Okon Etim; Leader of the MBO Legislative Assembly, Hon. Daniel out; The man considered to be the commander of politics in MBO, Chief Eyo Edet; And Hon. Duncan Uweh, Agriculture Supervisor and Dean of Supervisors.
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In his keynote address, Chairman Hon. The secret of Akwa Ibom’s development, Etim said, is that each new administration builds where the predecessor left off.
He recounted the history of the project, saying it was abandoned and vandalized. Now, he said, he has the position back, and he will sit for professional examinations.
He asked the beneficiaries not to see it as politics but to take it seriously so that they can become successful entrepreneurs. He said that MBO people are not beggars, adding that entrepreneurship is the only way out so politicians will not cheat them.
He said that his wish is to create wealth in the lives of the youth of the local community. He highly commended Governor Umo Ano for his unwavering commitment to the empowerment and protection of the youth. “We are grateful for your noble initiative to engage 70 vibrant youth of Mbo into Ibom Community Watch. This is not only a bold step towards youth employment but also a strategic step in community policing and intelligence gathering.”
He said that as a local government administrator, they have been steadfast in their resolve to make human capital development a top priority. “In line with this commitment, we have offered full sponsorship to 11 qualified youth from MBO who are currently undergoing intensive vocational training at DASAC (Dakkada Skills Acquisition Centre). This investment is not just in people, it is in the future of MBO.
“Today, with pride and satisfaction, we are unveiling the MBO Vocational and Craft Centre, a hub of innovation, skills acquisition and enterprise. The center is set up as a multi-purpose technical and vocational institute where young men and women will receive world-class training in various sectors: cosmetics, catering, fashion and design, and information and communications technology (ICT).
In the near future, he said, they will introduce; Wooden furniture and carpentry; mechanical engineering and auto repair; Agriculture and other specialized crafts and trades. “We are not only providing training but also creating pathways to professional certification. Students at this center will be eligible to sit for nationally and internationally recognized examinations such as NASTEB (National Trade and Technical Examination Board), Trade Test Certification, specific professional certifications related to their chosen fields.
“Recognizing the importance of a conducive learning environment, we have already drawn up plans to comprehensively encircle the center for safety and tranquility, equip classrooms and workshops with modern equipment and facilities, create comfortable and accessible learning spaces for all trainees regardless of gender, background or status. The center is designed to be inclusive, student-friendly and future-proof.”
He called on the Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF), corporate organizations and private sector operators and the diaspora; “Come forward and partner with us in expanding this centre, sponsoring students, providing equipment, offering internships and facilitating start-up assistance for our graduates. Together, we can build an efficient, self-reliant and productive MBO.”
Honorable Etim mentioned the packages awaiting trainees for a period of six months to include N60,000 training allowance. “By the time they complete their training, we will empower them with a starter pack of N500,000 each. At the end of their training, the second batch will start immediately and this will continue in batches until the end of my tenure. For those who are not yet caught, be patient with us and expect in the subsequent batches.”
Announcing the N300m Mbo Entrepreneurship Trust Fund, he said they are unlocking the economic potential of communities, empowering youth and accelerating inclusive prosperity across Mbo.
He said; “We believe in the creativity and ability of MBO youth to connect and connect local ideas to global opportunities. Turn dreams into sustainable enterprises that will feed families, employ neighbors and strengthen our local economy. Indeed, entrepreneurship is the lifeblood of society and human capital development must remain the foundation on which we build MBO's economic future. We are not just building businesses, we are building a future where no talent is wasted, no An idea does not die without being seen and no youth is left behind.”
Talking about shared prosperity he said they will leverage the industries, innovations and success stories that will make MBO synonymous with growth and enterprise.
“Embo is a land of extraordinary potential, blessed with coastal access to the Atlantic Ocean, rich marine life, fertile soil, oil and hard-working people. What is missing is the deliberate infrastructure to transform promise into prosperity.
“The MBO Skills and Entrepreneurship Development Plan emerges from this moment of reckoning, a strategic shift from dependency to growth, from subsistence to scale, and from laziness to productivity. This plan marks a new chapter, where our people are equipped with relevant skills, supported to build sustainable businesses, and connected to the tools, networks, and markets to thrive in the 21st century economy.”
Honorable Etim reminded his people that the greatest investment any government or society can make is not in buildings or politics, but in its people, especially its youth. “The Embo Vocational and Craft Center is our contribution to that future.”
