The Akwa Ibom Government says it has selected 329 youths from the state for training in photography and film production.
Gov. Udom Emmanuel announced this on Wednesday in a state-wide broadcast to mark the 28th anniversary of the creation of the state.
Emmanuel said that his four-month– old administration had earlier commenced the training of 1,000 youths on oracle technology while some had been sent to Israel for training in agriculture.
The governor, who said that more youths would be trained in power sector technology, stressed that youth empowerment, skills acquisition and training were cardinal policies of his administration.
Emmanuel said that his administration decided to launch the “dakkada” philosophy to spur the Akwa Ibom people to rise up to the true potential of their greatness.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that dakkada is an Ibibio word meaning “ stand up.’’
The governor said that the dakkada campaign captured the new Akwa Ibom spirit based on faith in God that the people of the state could be great in life.
He said that the dakkada crusade due for launching later in the day was a clarion call for moral transformation, spiritual rebirth and re-orientation of the people’s psyche.
Emmanuel also said that he had commenced construction of 137 kilometres of roads and had refurbished the moribund Peacock paint factory at the cost of N530 million.
Other industrial projects initiated by the administration, he said, included automobile assembly plant at Itu, Clay Refining Plant at Onna and low energy display-led factory at Itu.
He said that an ultra-modern gynaecology ward in memory of Dr Ann Ward had been constructed at St. Lukes Hospital in addition to the renovation of e male and children wards.
Emmanuel announced that the committee on Direct Foreign Investment (DFI) had contacted investors in 50 countries across the world willing to invest in Akwa Ibom.
“We have spared no effort in attracting direct foreign investment to the state; the committee is on road show to attract investors,” Emmanuel said.
The governor, who described himself as a servant leader, said that the new Akwa Ibom spirit had emerged and the state would not play inferior role in the comity of states in Nigeria.
He urged the people to rise up and be bold without being obnoxious, confident without condescending while embracing the new mind-set of greatness.
Emmanuel commended the efforts of the past administrators and governors in building the state and promised that he would make Akwa Ibom a great state in Nigeria. (NAN)
