... Trade and Investment Commissioner inaugurates committee, gives ten working days ultimatum

Planning Committee for the graduation ceremony of Ibom 3000 Project participants was on Monday inaugurated by the Honourable Commissioner for Trade and Investment, Prince Ukpong Akpabio with the Director of Industry, Akwa Ibom State, Mr. Essien Ibanga as Chairman.

The Committee was given ten working days to give strategic planning and recommendations including a suitable date for the graduation ceremony and fundamental starter packages to the graduating students. The Commissioner also charged the Committee members, especially the trainees to include suggestions meant to improve the second batch of the project in their planning, reiterating that Governor Emmanuel believes in human capital development to be cardinal to a prosperous and peaceful Akwa Ibom.

Members of the planning committee were strategically selected to cover the different units of the training which includes Oil and Gas, ICT, SME and Agriculture. Each unit has two representatives in the Committee. The Committee also has the Director of Investment, Mrs Mfon Ekanem, Director of Commerce, Mr. Aniefiok Idiong, the information officer, Mr. Cletus Udo, the head of the Enterprise Center, Mr. Kemfon Decade and Barrister Idongesit Etim.

IBOM 3000 Project is a human capital development initiative of the governor Udom Emmanuel's adminstration anchored by the Ministry of Trade and Investment. The first batch of the training flagged off in March trained 1000 youths in market-in-demand skills covering Oil and Gas, ICT, SME and Agriculture. With the conclusion of the last set of ICT trainees in August, the Akwa Ibom state government is set to officially graduate the participants. The participants were promised basic certification in different fields of endeavour to help them compete for job openings in the labour market. Government also says apart from recommending the graduands for jobs, that the training is also to prepare manpower for the different industries on the way in the state, especially in the oil and gas sector.