Youths urged to acquire entrepreneurial skills for self-reliance

Youths in Akwa Ibom State have been urged to embrace entrepreneurial skills to enable them to become entrepreneurs and job creators.

A banker, Nsikan Netima gave the advice during a workshop to sharpen the skills of young business owners in Uyo, the state capital.

She listed business growth, marketing, and distribution as expertise skills to be acquired by participants at the end of the training adding such knowledge were essentials for small and medium scale entrepreneurs.

“One of our recipes for accelerating the success of entrepreneurs is giving them access to mentorship and intensive training.”

“We got them Business Plans and Brandings all at no cost.”

“Every year, in October, I ensure we gather and brainstorm on the way forward for entrepreneurs, but this year we decided that we will be focusing on entrepreneurs who have made an effort to register their businesses with the Corporate Affairs Commission and we were able to make it happen. ”

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Netima, a former relationship manager with one of the banks in the country disclosed that the programme would be an annual event to provide mentorship for young entrepreneurs.

“One of our recipes for accelerating the success of entrepreneurs is giving them access to mentorship and intensive training.”

“Remember that Blow Summit is a business school in making and I promise that by next year, we would be having this event in our own secretariat what we do is to show you how to well structure your business, both small and large”

Secretary to Akwa Ibom State Government Emmanuel Ekuwem in his remarks said entrepreneurs should be encouraged to reduce the burden of unemployment in the state.

“The entrepreneurs gathering here are the future of this great state, and I’m here to share with you, some of the things that are very convincing to be of importance to you”

“As businessmen and women, you are an opportunist and I am an opportunist as a businessman, someone who takes a creative part of a situation, to control the future, create it”

“As young men who already have their businesses and a timed call for you to serve, then they are moving from grace to office, you are a man of principles because if anything happens, you are going back to grace.”

“Gov Udom said unemployment in the nation is not caused by insufficient opportunity/vacancies, no, but it is caused by unemployability of human capacity, human interest, and that is true,” he said.

Ekuwem warned young businessmen to be disciplined and shun sentiments, discrimination, and unnecessary spending to build their business empires.

“Discipline yourself, don’t spend all your profit, people may call you stingy, accept but discipline your finances, know when and which part of the money to spend on charity. Work hard to grow your business and save a lot for the rainy days, Discipline is the goal for a sustainable and successful business,” he warned.