Akwa Ibom Seeks Strengthening Of PPP With Small-Scale Industrialists For Growth

With the resolution of the lingering leadership crisis rocking the Akwa Ibom State chapter of the Nigerian Association of Small-Scale Industrialists (NASSI), the commissioner for Trade and Investment, Captain Iniobong Ekong (rtd), has stressed the need for a stronger Public-Private Partnership (PPP) to enhance the growth of small businesses.

Addressing stakeholders during a meeting in Uyo, the State capital, Captain Ekong described a strong and vibrant NASSI as pivotal to the success of Governor Umo Eno’s ARISE Agenda blueprint on entrepreneurship and small business development.

“You cannot be fighting continuously from generation to generation. There must be peace and dialogue, and that is what we have offered. I believe the agreements reached today will hold, and we are seeing a new beginning,” the commissioner said.

He stressed that without a dynamic NASSI, efforts to promote entrepreneurship under the ARISE Agenda would “fall flat from the foundation. ” However, with the restoration of peace, the association would now properly execute its mandate of establishing and sustaining small and medium-scale enterprises across the State.

The National President of NASSI, Dr Solomon Vongfa, lauded the Commissioner’s intervention, describing him as a “peacemaker” whose maturity and commitment had restored harmony in the troubled state chapter.

Also speaking, the special assistant to the governor on Entrepreneurial Development, Meflyn Anwana, described the resolution of the feud and restoration of peace at the meeting as “historic.”

She urged stakeholders to embrace unity and cooperation, noting that only a stable and functional NASSI would position members to access the numerous state and federal government grants and support packages available for small-scale industrialists.

Captain Ekong assured that while the ministry would not interfere in the association’s internal administration, it would continue to exercise supervisory oversight to ensure healthy relationships among stakeholders and foster a trade and investment ecosystem that promotes growth.

“What we want to see, by the grace of God, is to leave this ministry much healthier, more focused, and better positioned than we met it,” he added.

LEADERSHIP gathered that the crisis resolution aimed at repositioning NASSI in Akwa Ibom “as a key driver of entrepreneurship, job creation, and industrial growth in line with the state government’s development vision.”