Mayor of Housing urges Akwa Ibom people to ‘arise and fish’, shun sharing of money

The Mayor of Housing, My-ACE China has called the Akwa Ibom State Government, politicians and other stakeholders to mainstream self-reliance, saying the time to share money to youths has gone. 

China said this recently during the commissioning of an Entrepreneurship and Craft Centre and flag-off of training for the first batch of 100 trainees 30 of whom he is bankrolling at Enwang, headquarters of Mbo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State. 

He seemed to have lit the fire of entrepreneurship in Akwa Ibom State with this gesture just as he said he was attracted to Mbo and Akwa Ibom State by one of his special assistants, Anthony Andemic, who was made chairman of the entrepreneurial committee, and in support of who he donated an initial N5m to help rebuild and set up the centre. 

“Now, I am here to give more to train 30 out of the 100 so far admitted. I will give N4.5m for their training in six months and another N4.5m to equip the 30 after training and give each a machine to start off plus take-off capital for each.”

Mr China, who is known as a real estate success strategist and the Managing Director of the Housing and Construction Mayor Limited, made it clear that a standard of local government administration has been set in Mbo LGA, describing the Chairman, Sunday Etim, as “a rare leader”. 

“He is bringing people especially youths out of poverty systematically, in instalments of 100 at a time. So, if you have not set up 300 youths in your area, you are not a local government chairman. So, arise and fish.” 

“I therefore urge the government to arise and fish! Political leaders, arise and fish, not by taking government money and share to people but arise and fish. Big men, arise and fish.”

In her remarks, the Special Adviser on Entrepreneurship to the State Governor, Meflyn Anwana, who hails from Mbo LGA, revealed that the Governor has set up a huge fund for entrepreneurs who can access as high as N10m each to build world class businesses. 

Mrs. Anwana said she and her colleagues were working on how to make 100 Mbo entrepreneurs to access N10m each from the fund. “Akwa Ibom is ahead in entrepreneurship. Most persons fail to access the Eno Fund because of lack of proper financials, documentation, and structure.”

She said the state took entrepreneurship seriously because one person well set up will set up at least five persons. “That is why we are highly appreciative of Mayor of Housing for helping to kickstart 30 persons who would work hard to qualify for the Eno Fund. 

In his welcome remarks, Andemic, chairman of the ‘Entrepreneurship Committee’, said many vocations have been created at the centre to drive the economy. He quoted Peter Drucker who said to predict the future, create it. “The target is to transform Mbo LGA, Akwa Ibom State, and Nigeria. Productivity is the key innovation.” 

On his own, Effiong Abia, said it is fitting for the governor to state clearly from the onset that he didn’t come to give his people fish but to teach them to fish, calling the Mbo experiment a great innovation, saying the chairman has proved himself a worthy leader. 

Others who gave solidarity speeches at the event were the Vice Chairman, Iniobong Etim; Leader of Mbo Legislative Assembly, Daniel Otu; Chief Eyo Edet; and Supervisor for Agriculture, Duncan Uweh.

The Vice Chairman said the secret of Akwa Ibom’s development is that every new administration builds on where the predecessor stopped. 

He gave the history of the project, saying it was abandoned and vandalized. Now, he added, the place is back, and that it will sit professional examinations.

He told the beneficiaries not to see the gesture as politics but should take it seriously so they can grow into successful entrepreneurs, asserting that Mbo people were no beggars, adding that entrepreneurship is the way out so politicians would not deceive them. 

He said his desire is to create wealth in the lives of the youths of the local community. He profusely commended Gov Umo Eno for what he called his unwavering commitment to the empowerment and security of the youth. 

“We remain grateful for your noble initiative of engaging 70 vibrant youths from Mbo in the Ibom Community Watch. This is not only a bold step towards youth employment but also a strategic move in community policing and intelligence gathering.”

 He stated that as a local government administration, they have remained unshaken in their resolve to make human capital development a top priority. 

“In line with this commitment, we have offered full sponsorship to 11 deserving youth of Mbo who are currently undergoing intensive vocational training at DASAC (Dakkada Skill Acquisition Centre). This investment is not just in people, it is in the future of Mbo.

“Today, with pride and satisfaction, we unveil the Mbo Vocational and Craft Centre, a hub for innovation, skills acquisition, and enterprise. This centre is established as a multipurpose technical and vocational institution where young men and women will receive world-class training in diverse fields including: Cosmetics, Catering, Fashion and Design, and Information and Communication Technology (ICT).”

In the near future, he went on, they would introduce; Wood furniture and carpentry; Mechanical Engineering and Auto Repairs; Agriculture and other specialised crafts and trades. 

“We are not only providing training but also creating a pathway for professional certification. Students of this centre will be eligible to sit for nationally and internationally recognised exams such as NASTEB (National Business and Technical Examinations Board), Trade Test Certification, Specialised Professional Certifications relevant to their chosen fields.

“In recognition of the importance of a conducive learning environment, we have already mapped out plans to comprehensively fence the centre for security and serenity, equip classrooms and workshops with modern tools and facilities, create comfortable and accessible learning spaces for all trainees, regardless of gender, background, or status. This centre is designed to be inclusive, student-friendly, and future-driven.”

He called on the Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF), corporate organisations and private sector operators and those in the diaspora to partner his firm in expanding the scope of the social impact programmes, while outlining the packages awaiting the trainees for the period of six months to include N60,000 training allowance. 

“Come forward and partner with us in expanding this centre, sponsoring students, providing tools, offering internships, and facilitating start-up support for our graduates, Together, we can build a skilled, self-reliant, and productive Mbo.”

“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 would commence immediately and this will continue in batches till the end of my tenure. For those that are not yet captured, be patient with us and be expectant in the subsequent batches.”

Declaring the N300m Mbo Entrepreneurship Trust Fund, he said they were unlocking the economic potential of the communities, empower the youth and accelerate inclusive prosperity across Mbo.

“We believe in the creativity and capacity of Mbo youth to bridge and connect local ideas to global opportunities. Turn dreams into sustainable enterprises that will feed families, employ neighbours and strengthen our local economy.” 

“Indeed, entrepreneurship is the lifeblood of society and human capital development must remain the foundation upon which we build the economic future of Mbo. We are not just building businesses, we are building a future where no talent is wasted, no idea dies unseen and no youth is left behind.”

Talking about a shared prosperity, he said they would harvest industries, innovations, and success stories that would make Mbo a name synonymous with growth and enterprise.   

“Mbo is a land of extraordinary potential, blessed with coastal access to the Atlantic Ocean, rich marine life, fertile soll, oil, and industrious people. What has been missing is the deliberate infrastructure to convert promise into prosperity.

“The Mbo Skills and Entrepreneurship Development Plan emerges from this moment of reckoning, a strategic shift from dependence to development, from subsistence to scale, and from idleness to productivity. This plan marks a new chapter, one where our people are equipped with relevant skills, supported to build sustainable businesses, and connected to tools, networks, and markets to thrive in a 21st-century economy.”

Hon 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 Mbo Vocational and Craft Centre is our contribution to that future.”