Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom has disbursed N492 million to 1,187 youths in the state to boost their ventures in farming, trade, and small businesses. He said the initiative aims to promote entrepreneurship and self-reliance among young people.
A breakdown of the beneficiaries shows that 276 received the ARISE Farmers grant, 628 benefitted from the ARISE Traders grant, and 263 were supported under the ARISE Equipment Support Scheme. In addition, eight individuals received N5 million each under the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) grant, while 12 others got cars and minibuses.
Speaking at the Uyo Township Square, Ibom Hall grounds, over the weekend, Eno said that in his two years in office, his administration has executed 116 projects across Uyo, Uruan, Nsit Attai, and Ibesikpo Asutan Local Government Areas. These include roads, health centres, compassionate homes, elderly homes, and primary schools.
He explained that the stakeholder meeting with the federal constituency was to present their “needs document” for inclusion in the 2026 People’s Budget and to extend grant support to constituents as part of a wider programme that will cover all federal constituencies in the state.
The governor thanked the people of Uyo for the massive turnout, describing them as “landlords of the Government House,” and commended Secretary to the State Government, Prince Enobong Uwah, for fostering unity with the state’s leadership.
