Udom partners with private sector to develop A/Ibom

Isaac Job, Uyo

Akwa Ibom state Governor, Udom Emmanuel has charged privileged citizens within the state and in Diaspora to partner with his administration in the development of the state and doled out equipment worth over N10million to graduands of trainees of Ibom Development and Empowerment Assembly.

Gov. Emmanuel maintained that his government was eager to take every less privileged indigenes of the state off the streets of Akwa Ibom.

Represented by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Dr. Emmanuel Ekwuwem, the governor said that only through such partnership would the vision to develop the state be accomplished.

He commended the vision of the organisers of Ibom Development and Epowerment Assembly (IDEA), saying it was in line with his administration’s policy to ensure that every Akwa Ibom child was taken off the streets.

“IDEA is to take young men and women off the streets and this is what our administration is doing. What you are doing will grow to something great. We want collaboration in this regards.

“More often than not, the governor and his wife, Mrs. Martha Udom gather orphans, widows and the under-privileged in the banquet hall of Government House from their own personal funds to wipe away their tears and sorrows by empowering them regularly.

“Even the pet project of the governor’s wife, the Family Empowerment and Youth Re-orientation Programme (FEYReP) also falls in line with what we are doing here today, building houses for widows and also taking the less privileged off the streets. Gov. Udom has a great deal of commitment to this programme,” the SSG added.

The Progenitor of IDEA, Dr. Markfre Ekefre, said he was committed to the vision and mission of the organization which is to encourage entrepreneurship among the youth.

Ekefre said since the organisation was established two years ago, it has offered free training to students and empowered thousands of orphans and widows in the state as well as the needy.

He said the organisation recently paid the medical bills of some indigent patients at St. Luke’s Hospital, Anua, Uyo amounting to N2.8million, adding that 48 graduands who passed out from it training scheme were empowered with equipment estimated at over N10million.