Akwa Ibom State Government has plans around the way for the implementation of the Ibom Entrepreneurship Scheme to enable the small and medium scale entrepreneurs access funds to boost their businesses.
The Akwa Ibom State Governor Chief Godswill Akpabio stated this during a courtesy call on him by the Association of Petty Business Men at the Government House, Uyo.
Chief Akpabio said that the scheme which is targeted at the informal sector of the economy will boost the industrialization drive of the state administration.
Represented by his Deputy Noble Lady Valerie Ebe, Governor Akpabio lauded the initiative of the Petty Business Men, comprising hair dressers, barbers, Keke operators, Mechanics, Painters and traders to come together as a body.
He said public private partnership was a panacea to the industrialization of any economy assuring that with the provision of necessary infrastructure across the state, Akwa Ibom will become the hop for investors and urged the petty business men to take advantage of the micro-credit scheme to boost their businesses and to strive to improve the quality of their services for sustainable patronage.
The Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Elder Ufot Nkangudeh, said that the Petty Businessmen formed the back wall of the private sector and that their services have helped deface the mentality that Akwa Ibom was a civil service state.
He said the respect for dignity of labor by the Artisans and Traders is highly appreciated and advised the Petty Businessmen to partner the Ministry of Commerce and Industry to acquaint themselves with the various facilities that would aid improve their businesses.
The Commissioner noted that with the implementation of the 2014 budget, the Ibom entrepreneurship scheme would become accessible to teaming entrepreneurs.
Earlier, the National coordinator of Association of Petty Business Men, Pastor Samuel Archibong, lauded the infrastructural transformation of Akwa Ibom which has made the State a bench-mark for good governance in the Country and particularly thanked the Governor for fulfilling his campaign promises to the people.
Pastor Archibong solicited for funds to boost their businesses pointing out that petty business was the harp that grows the business and pledged support to the Akpabio administration.