Ibom 3000 Project: Recreating the economy through human capacity development
The mission of the state government to create the next generation of viable entrepreneurs as well as skilled youths and women was on Tuesday August 9, 2022 fulfilled when the first batch of Ibom 3000 project trainees numbering 1000 graduated from the programme with certificates, laptops and start-up grants presented to them to enable them start up and practise the acquired skills.
In line with the completion agenda of Governor Udom Emmanuel, the Ministry of Trade and Investment conceptualized the Ibom 3000 project to boost the human capital development and economic transformation of the state.
It is believed that skills acquired under the scheme which range from oil and gas, agriculture, information and communication technology (ICT) and small and medium scale enterprise (SMSE) will arm our youths with the basic business acumen to enhance their small businesses and also enable them to secure employment in international oil companies (IOCs), multinationals and public/private industries as well as set up their own businesses.
It was against this backdrop that the Ministry of Trade and Investment deemed it fit to organize a graduation ceremony for the graduands of the Ibom 3000 project to send them forth into the labour market to become useful to themselves and the society.
The graduation ceremony which took place at the prestigious Ibom Hall in Uyo, was the culmination of the first phase of the programme which journey began on March 15, 2022.
Addressing the graduands, the state governor, Mr Udom Emmanuel, said, “the Ibom 3000 project is a critical component in the efforts of my administration to create employment opportunities and wealth for our people.””
Emmanuel, who quipped, “The Ibom 3000 project was designed with the completion agenda in mind”, said the programme was one of the platforms for the implementation of the eight-point completion agenda of his government, comprising human capacity development, industrialization, agriculture and small and medium scale enterprises development.
“”The scheme is designed to favour youths and women given the significant roles they play in community development, which have enabled them account for about 48 per cent of the National Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
He added that the purpose of the project was to equip the beneficiaries with entrepreneurial/managerial skills, value re-orientation and attitudinal change.
While congratulating the graduands on their successful graduation, the governor who was represented by his deputy, Mr Moses Ekpo, enjoined them to put their acquired skills, start-up grants and other packs to productive use.
He described them as the trail-blazers of the Ibom 3000 project who are positioned as the building-blocks for an industrialized Akwa Ibom State, and admonished them not to sell the laptops and the other kits presented to them but use them instead for their personal development and that of others around them.
The idea of Ibom 3000 project, the governor said, “is to create as many platforms as possible for creative Akwa Ibom people to latch unto for self-actualization.””
He maintained, “The Ibom 3000 Project is therefore a complementary weapon from the broad arsenal of government in battling unemployment and securing competitive edge for Akwa Ibom youths through strategic skills-set acquisition in order to increase his employability.”
Emmanuel posited that the programme has proved that the state government was on course and committed to recreating and redesigning the economy of the state for the greater benefit of the people.
While thanking the ministry for driving the initiative, the governor expressed the hope that they and other stakeholders “will sustain the current tempo of their work in order to ultimately help in actualizing our dream of an industrialized Akwa Ibom.””
He said that the first batch of graduands of the scheme was the proof of the feasibility of subsequent batches, and assured of government’s commitment and determination to fully roll out the remainder of the programme before the end of his administration.
The commissioner for trade and investment, Mr Camillus Umoh, who disclosed that the Ibom 3000 project was conceptualized to train 3000 beneficiaries from the three senatorial districts of the state, however, said it was segmented into three phases in compliance with the COVID-19 protocol and for safety.
Umoh explained, “During the course of this first phase of the Ibom 3000 project, 300 of our youths were trained in oil and gas industry skills, 250 on agriculture, 200 on SME development skills and 250 on information and communication technology (ICT) programmes.
He appreciated all the youths who participated and successfully graduated in the programme for their diligence and conscientiousness throughout the duration of the training and admonished them to gainfully utilise the skills acquired so that they will not only become economically self-reliant and independent, but employers of labour and worthy ambassadors who will strive to expand the economic and industrial frontiers of our state to make us one of the vibrant and economically buoyant states within the West African sub-region.
The commissioner thanked the governor, Mr Udom Emmanuel, for actualizing his visions for the development of human capacity, agriculture and SMEs in our state through the project and appreciated his predecessor in office and all who contributed in initially putting the programme in place as well as the facilitators for sharing the knowledge.
Goodwill messages were received from the head of civil service, Elder Effiong Essien, who was represented by Mr Nsoyo Akai; the state coordinator of Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency (SMEDAN), Mrs Lucy Ekpenyong; and the vice president of Uyo Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (UYOCCIMA), Mr Joe Ukpong Esq.
They lauded the state government for the initiative in investing in human capital development and charged the beneficiaries of the programme to make good use of the grants and other start-up packs to better their lives.
Speaking on behalf of the graduands, Paul Effiong and Daniel Bassey thanked the state government for the opportunity granted them to aquire the various vocational skills, saying it will go a long way to change their employment status and make them self-reliant.
They promised to put to use the skills acquired and give back to the society to express their gratitude to government.
