By Egufe Yafugborhi &  Chioma Onuegbu

GOVERNOR Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State has explained that his administration was partnering with the Bank to further boost economic advancement plans of his A R.I.S.E Agenda.

According to a statement by the government House Press corps, Umo Eno made this known Friday, during a new year get-together organised by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the party’s State Secretariat in Uyo.

Eno who reiterated his commitment to repositioning Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in the State, disclosed that the Bank would commence full operations at the 21-Storey Dakkada Towers in the month of February urging the people to embrace the initiative.

His words: “The Bank of Industry is opening in Akwa Ibom. We have finished working, we’ve given them space, they have set up and by the grace of God, they will start operations in February. All that is to support Small and Medium Scale Enterprises.

“W are going to support them. We ‘ll make sure that we give them money to loan to our business operators at a single digit interest and once your business is viable and they can see, they’ll give you loan at 9percent.

“We have provided accomodations and a conducive environment so they can do their business and we’re going to support them.”

Governor Eno announced that the first batch of 400 youths who registered for training in various entrepreneurial skills at the Ibom Leadership and Entrepreneurial Development Scheme, Ibom – LED were done with their training and have been empowered to start up their businesses.

He encouraged other youths to register with Ibom-LED for the second batch of training after which they will attract government‘s support and empowerment for their businesses, stressing that his government will only support youths who are ready to be “up and doing”.

The Governor, also disclosed his administration’s plan to sponsor women from the thirty-one local government areas to China with a view to expanding their business scopes, noting  that the aim of the plan is  o grow small businesses and further deepen women‘s inclusion in government programmes.

He noted that a similar gesture has been extended to students who have been selected to participate in the education exchange programme at the United Kingdom.

 He appreciated God for seeing him through 26 court cases, out of which 8 were dragged to the Supreme Court, saying, “So yesterday by the special grace of the Almighty God, the Supreme Court affirmed our governorship, affirmed all of your labour, your campaigns, your belief, all of your votes.

  “And so this calls for a double celebration. It has become both a New Year visit and a victory celebration, so we return all the glory to God. It has been the tradition of all previous governors to come to the party house to celebrate New Year with the party members.

“This being my very first, I had looked up to it and we had fixed this date but God who knows the end from the beginning had a divine calendar”

In his opening remarks the State Chairman of the party, Elder Aniekan Akpan, appreciated the Governor for his laudable developmental strides in the last seven months, and particularly for fulfilling his campaign promises to the people.

He described the Governor’s victory at the Supreme Court as a confirmation of the people’s wish and a proof that his emergence was divine.

Prominent state stakeholders of the party who gave Godwill messages at the event were, former National Legal Adviser of the PDP, Barr Emmanuel Enoidem and the Director General of Umo Eno Campaign Organization, Amb  Assam Assam (SAN)