GOVERNOR Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State   would on September 10th 2024 flag-off a special support programme for five thousand youths drawn from the 31 local government areas of the state.

Eno who disclosed this on Sunday during the September edition of Government monthly prayer service at the Banquet Hall, Government House, Uyo, added not fewer than 2000 Small and Medium Enterprises(SMEs) would also be empowered during the empowerment rally.

He explained that the youth empowerment package was in fulfilment of his promise to reciprocate the honour done him and the leadership of the State by the youths who  heeded his advice not to join the nationwide hunger protest in August.

His words, “We are going to have a rally to engage and empower our youths. That rally will be on Tuesday, 10th of September at the Uyo township Stadium. We are bringing 200 youths from each of our  31 local government areas.

“They are just representatives of their local government areas. On that day, we will also be able to explain how we want to support 5000 youths in our state immediately.

“We will also empower Small and Medium Enterprises from across the State. This empowerment will be a bit different from the ones we normally do. We have already finished our selection and we have  2000 of them, so don’t bother faking anything. We know these people, we have been to their shops, we have done a need assessment and we know what they want.

“We will publish their names and local government areas so that anyone can verify.

We believe if we support these SMEs, they will help facilitate socio- economic growth in our state. That is my idea of empowerment,”