Akwa Ibom To Empower 15,000 Youth With N50,000 Each
No fewer than 15,000 unemployed youth are to receive N50,000 each from the Akwa Ibom State government, Governor Umo Eno has said.
Speaking tuesday at the ongoing ministerial briefing by Ministries, Departments and Agencies, Eno said the youths would be selected from the state’s unemployment portal
According to him, the initiative is part of the state government’s efforts to tackle unemployment adding that the disbursement would commence within days.
Last September, the Akwa Ibom State directed unemployed graduates to register on the portal saying it would provide the data for employment generation.
Eno who said he never promised the creation of new industries during his electioneering campaigns added that the present economic reality was not yet conducive for the establishment of new industries insisting that “companies are folding up”.
He stated that what the economic situation supports for now is the creation and support of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), aimed at creating a strong middle class.
On the tourism sector, he said tourism the world over is a major revenue earner and crucial in job creation, which explains why his administration places a premium on the tourism sector.
He announced that provisions have been made for the completion of the Convention Center at the Ibom Tropicana Complex that was initiated by the Godswill Akpabio administration, noting that the complex will be a major game changer towards enhancing both the IGR and tourism potentials of the state, while assuring that critical stakeholders will meet next year to brainstorm and produce a Tourism Master Plan for the state.
In a related development, the Akwa Ibom State Government says the rehabilitation, restoration and development of the tourism hub especially the Ikot Abasi Tourism Hub will receive priority attention in 2025.
The Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Sir Charles Udoh stated this while speaking on Day-2 of the ongoing Exco Ministerial Briefings/End of Year Review in Uyo.
According to the Commissioner, since the creation of Akwa Ibom State, this is the first time the tourism sector is getting a priority attention as a critical sector from the government, assuring that the 2025 fiscal year will witness aggressive development of the Ikot Abasi Tourism Hub because of its strategic historic and cultural significance to the state and country.
Sir Udoh explained Ikot Abasi is host to some amazing historic tourism sites with significance to not just Akwa Ibom State but Nigeria such as the Lord Lugard Amalgamation House, the Bridge of No Return, the 1929 Women Riot, among others.
He further stated that provisions have been made in the 2025 budget for the renovation of the Ibom Hotels and Golf Resort and purchase of new maintenance equipment for the Golf course, with a view to restoring and maintaining the standard expected of such premium hospitality outfit and plans to develop the tourism attraction along the Ibeno beach shoreline.
Akwa Ibom To Empower 15,000 Youth With N50,000 Each is first published on The Whistler Newspaper
