A member representing Calabar Municipality/Odukpani federal constituency, Rt Hon Eta Mbora, has inaugurated a special empowerment scheme for the constituents....CONTINUE READING THE FULL ARTICLE>>>
Inaugurating the scheme for selected beneficiaries from Calabar Municipal and Odukpani local government areas recently at Akim Market in Calabar, Mbora said the scheme is aimed at promoting enterprise, self-reliance and job creation as well as boosting agricultural yields within the constituency.
According to the federal lawmaker, the programme is based on the peculiar needs of the beneficiaries comprising an entertainer, physically challenged artisans, welders and farmer’s corporative societies.
He revealed that some of the beneficiaries have gone through skills acquisition training, commending them for their zeal and commitment demonstrated by the welders during their training programme.
‘Our vocational skills acquisition is free. We only demand dedication, commitment and seriousness from the trainees. Once you graduate your start off pack and rent for shop is available,’ he said.
‘I want our youths to emulate our brother Ita Ekpenyong. Despite his challenge, he enlisted to learn to weld and was zealous and passionate about the programme. Apart from the start-off pack, I had to add a motorised wheelchair to him to aid his mobility. He is a great example.
‘This is the time for the youths to avail themselves of the opportunity offered by the scheme and engage in enterprising ventures that could make them become self-reliance rather than waiting for white-collar jobs.
Speaking at the event, the State Women Leader of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Hon Mrs Florence Inyang, commended the lawmaker for the intervention and noted that the gesture would check unemployment and assist farmers.
Hon Mrs Inyang promised to mobilise unemployed females to embrace the vocational training programme so as to become employers of labour given the non-availability of job openings in government circles.
Speaking earlier, a former Counsellor in Odukpani Legislative Council, Hon Ani Ekpenyong, described the scheme as a milestone that will curtail capital flight, produce middle-level manpower and encourage farmers.
In his reaction, one of the beneficiaries, Ita Ekpenyong, who was accompanied by his parents commended Ntufam Eta Mbora for the gesture and for assisting to realise his dreams
Another beneficiary, Mr Evans Okon of Exxon Musical Band, expressed gratitude to the federal lawmaker for coming to his assistance with a 9 KVA generator, saying the empowerment is timely and will go a long way in promoting his entertainment business.
Items distributed to the first phase beneficiaries include 1, 200 bags of fertilisers, over 400 cartons of herbicides, motorised wheelchairs, complete sets of welding equipment with diesel-powered generators and over 20 sets of 9kva Fireman petrol generators.
