Akwa Ibom to sponsor 100 youths for agricultural training in Nasarawa

Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, has offered to sponsor 100 youths in the state for agricultural entrepreneurship training at CSS Global Integrated Farms in Nasarawa State. He made the offer on Tuesday during the ninth edition of the Ibom Ignite Conference held at Ibom Hall, Uyo.

Governor Eno stated that the initiative would equip young people with practical agricultural skills and prepare them to take advantage of opportunities in the sector. He urged youths to embrace continuous learning, rethink their approaches to business, and adapt to changing economic realities. According to him, the ability to reinvent oneself is essential for sustained entrepreneurial success.

Youth Development Programmes

The Ibom Ignite programme began in 2017 and has helped participants explore new opportunities, develop entrepreneurial mindsets, and improve their businesses. Governor Eno explained that his commitment to mentoring and supporting young people is driven by the need to equip them with entrepreneurial and leadership skills to make meaningful contributions to society.

He also highlighted other youth development initiatives undertaken by his administration. This includes the training of 2,000 youths through the Ibom Leadership and Entrepreneurial Development Centre, known as Ibom-LED, with each participant receiving a start-up package of ₦750,000. Another 2,000 youths received training at the Dakkada Skills Acquisition Centre, with start-up grants ranging from ₦500,000 to ₦1 million for each trainee. He added that the state is developing youth development centres across its 31 local government areas.

Conference Speeches

The training sponsorship was announced during the conference, which had the theme of reinvent, rethink, reimagine, redesign, and become. In his keynote address, Apostle Joshua Selman spoke on the courage to become, highlighting the importance of awareness, access to relevant information, consistent action, courage, and sacrifice in achieving personal growth.

Also speaking at the event, the Chief Executive Officer of CSS Global Integrated Farms, Professor John Kennedy Opara, identified passion, performance, and the ability to recognise possibilities as important factors in entrepreneurial success. He drew from his experience in agricultural business to encourage young people to remain committed to their goals and not despise small beginnings.