Akwa Ibom Partners Bank Of Industry To Grow Economy

To steer the state on the path of economic recovery and growth, Governor Umo Eno has said modalities have been put in place for the Bank of Industry to commence its operation in Uyo, the state capital towards a strong private sector – driven economy.

Eno announced this when he addressed a cross section of government officials and business stakeholders who converged on the Latter House Chapel, Governor’s Lodge, Uyo, for the June edition of Government House Monthly Prayer Summit at the weekend.

Governor Eno hinged the setting up of a branch of Bank of Industry in the state on his entrepreneurship – driven administration which he said would be tilted towards using the business services of the bank to create investment – friendly climate as well as support the entrepreneurial development programmes as encapsulated in his administration’s Arise Agenda.

He hinted that an office space has been allotted for the bank at the 21- storey smart building to facilitate smooth take off of operations, and used the occasion to advise operators of small and medium scale enterprises (SMEs) to take advantage of the bank’s presence in the state to grow their businesses.

He said: “Finally we will have the Bank of Industry here. We have concluded on that. There are few things they wanted and we have sorted that out. I have given them a space in the 21-Storey Smart Building. Government will pay for that building to bring them to the state.

“You need to give me some sacrifices to attract businesses to the state, so I ask the entrepreneurs and industrialists to cooperate because what we can do for the people is to create that environment. They should be here before the end of July, we have met all of their offers.”

Besides, he advised farmers in the state to do well to register in the farmers database created by the state government to enable them enjoy direct interaction and involvement in government agricultural programmes, warning that government would not relate with anyone or group by proxy.

He said more than 343,000 farmers have registered on the active data base as at the last count, while more farmers are encouraged to register for ease of business with the government in the state.

“We have the farmers’ base. Let farmers register in that database because very soon we will deal with them directly, not by proxy. The database is still active and I learnt they can register directly online. We have about three hundred and forty thousand farmers that have registered. As we take off, we will talk with them. We will credit them directly so please nobody is taking it to anybody.

“We will deploy extension workers to work with them as it used to be because we are very serious in agriculture. So, encourage people in your local government to talk with the Agric Investment people at the APICO Building and register,” he stressed.