2015 polls: Artisan’s group hail Udom’s election ...Praise Enoidem’s appointment as Commerce Commissioner ...To partner State Government on development of SME’s

As the Akwa Ibom State  Governor, His Excellency Mr. Udom Emmanuel  activates plans and programs to revitalize the moribund industries that dots the landscape of the entire State, and even build other ones as a step towards diversifying the State’s economic base, we can authoritatively report that a relevant trade group/ umbrella body of all skilled professionals, tradesmen and informal sector employers in the State, the Akwa Ibom Artisans/Tradespeople Association (AKATA) has risen in strong support of the Governor and has formally congratulated him over his emergence in the just concluded polls. 

The Artisans body has also urged all Akwa Ibom people, especially those who may have had causes to disagree with the outcome of the elections to sheath their swords and join hands with the Governor to move the state forward. While lauding the appointment of ‘a renowned technocrat’ in the person of Barr. Emmanuel Enoidem as Honorable Commissioner for Industries and Commerce, the group has further pledged to partner the state government in the development of Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SME’s) to compliment and cater for the felt needs that will emanate from the envisaged service industry that will follow the Governor’s industrialization poise.

These and much more were revealed to our correspondent by Hon. Nsikak Jackson, the group’s Vice President, Special Duties during an exclusive chat with our correspondent at the sidelines of a one day Tax Justice Advocacy/Training Program for civil society organisations held in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State capital over the weekend, and facilitated by the CISLAC/OXFAM NOVIB funded National Tax Justice Advocacy and Governance Platform under the Capacity for Research and Advocacy in Fair Taxation (CRAFT) program being implemented in six countries of the world, and targeted at the informal and presumptive tax regime sectors of the economy.

Hon. Jackson, himself a graded electrical/power systems operator, and whose group, the Artisans are members of the CRAFT Program National Implementation Team,  reasoned that ‘there is no denying the fact that Mr. Udom Emmanuel enjoyed a popular mandate of all well meaning Akwa Ibomites who acknowledged his pedigree of excellence and background as a globally acclaimed portfolio, finance and investment management guru with first hand knowledge of the governance/economic factors inhibiting the incubation of local technology and enterprise building platforms in our polity’ . 

According to the Artisans Union leader, “after wide consultations and critical assessment of his policy plans, and acting on behalf of all skilled professionals, craftsmen and entrepreneurs, we do hereby formally congratulate Mr. Udom Emmanuel on his massive election as Akwa Ibom Governor, and are proud to identify with his stance as a thorough bred professional and special gift of Corporate Nigeria to exceptional leadership and governance of Akwa Ibom, at this time of genuine economic uncertainties arising from dwindling crude prices  regime and progressive devaluation of our currency in the global market, and the threats of possible exploration of oil in the Lake Chad Basin”. In a veiled message to the opposition political parties, the Artisans leader added, “this is time for all and sundry to join hands and support the Governor who has already started a good work at Itu with the Armoured Vehicle Assembly Plant, and the policy commitments to hit Ibaka Deep Seaport and Peacock Paints running, we need to form a rampart of support around him, this is not time to indulge in unnecessary and self seeking distractive litigations by those who openly lost elections, but time to join hands in the spirit of collective responsibility”.

Speaking further, Artisan Sunday Jackson hinted of the group’s endorsement and total agreement with the appointment of Barr. Emmanuel Enoidem, a tested and trusted technocrat as Honorable Commissioner in the State Ministry of Commerce and Industrialization. Said he, “ there is no doubt Barr. Enoidem will approach this new assignment with a renewed vigour  with which he administered the turnkey/signature projects of the immediate past administration. He is a turn around expert who has been perfectly positioned to coordinate the new face an industrialized Akwa Ibom under Governor Udom Emmanuel, after having led the foundation for critical infrastructure in the outgoing administration. We laud and welcome his appointment”. 

Elsewhere in the chat, the State Artisans Union  pledged to partner the State government to enhance the capacity of its members to develop Small and Medium Enterprises in other sectors of the economy. This, the group’s Vice President stated shall see to it’s presentation of an Artisans-led SME’s Resuscitation Policy Document to the government, and formal development of partnership framework that shall generate at least 10000 employments in the state annually. 

To Hon. Jackson, ‘’we are currently working with select consultants and social entrepreneurs to develop a scheme targeted at youth employability skills enhancement, which we hope to implement in partnership with the state government and which again is Artisans driven, environmentally sensitive and with ample capacity to absorb thousands of subscribers annually”, adding that, “we are of the strongest opinion that this shall position us properly for the envisaged upsurge in service industry needs of the industries to be revitalized, attracted and developed under Governor Udom Emmanuel”.