Business News(TSN)

SENATOR EKONG SAMPSON BEGINS TRAINING ON MINING BUSINESS, OTHER CAPACITY BUILDING PROGRAMMES IN EKET

Global Market (TSN) Hundreds of youths of Akwa Ibom South Senatorial District have commenced training in Mining Business under the Capacity Building and Sensitization programme sponsored by the Senator representing Akwa Ibom South Senatorial District and Chairman, Senate Committee on Solid Minerals, Senator Ekong Sampson Ph.D, in collaboration with Nigeria Mining Cadastre Office, Abuja.

Welcoming participants, drawn from the 12 Local Government Areas of the Senatorial District, to the official flag-off ceremony of the second programme, held at JUDAG Hotels Marina Road, Eket, the Senator reaffirmed his inclination to human capacity development as a fundamental component of his empowerment programme, reassuring his constituents of continuous engagement towards creating a robust human capital base in the district, to complement the ARISE Agenda aspirations of the Governor Umo Eno led administration in the State.

The Senator, represented by his Chief Legislative Assistant, Sir Michael Esang, said the programme was part of the second phase of his multi-facetted constituency empowerment programme, targeted at equipping and setting up over 1000 youths with requisite skills, take-off grants and socioeconomic network to exploit the global market, vis-a-vis Nigeria's vast solid mineral industry and other sectors.

Performing the programme flag-off, Chairman at the occasion, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Environment and Minerals Resources, Iquo Abia Esq, lauded Senator Ekong Sampson's sincere commitment to the development of human capital in the solid minerals sector. She described the initiative as timely and complementary to the humans resource aspirations of Governor Umo Eno's ARISE Agenda, by which, she stressed, the Akwa Ibom South youths would be placed at a vantage position for the ARISE Youth Employment Portal launch.

She pointed that though mining remains on the federal government's exclusive list, programme was significant in that as does not only provide the essential social license for the local populace but also promises positive outcomes for both the people and the State, affirming Akwa Ibom's rich endowment with abundant solid mineral includin limestone, silica/glass sand, and rare earth minerals.

"This training programme is particularly timely, aligning with the Federal Government's efforts to diversify the economy and with the ARISE Agenda of His Excellency, Pastor Umo Eno. By virtue of the ARISE Agenda, Akwa Ibom State Government is poised to explore, exploit and develop the mineral, mining and allied sectors in the state", said Abia, as she urged participants to take optimum advantage of the insights shared by the resource persons, to explore vast opportunities in the sector.

A resource person for the programme, the Director, Field Operation, Azrab Geoservices Nigeria, Isah Onimisi, in a time setting for the programme, said varieties of valuable solid minerals, especially in form of gemstones, exist across the various regions of Nigeria, but that the industry is yet to be fully utilized, stating that the programme is designed to train participants on the gemstones discovery, mining, evaluation of their identities refractive indices, trading on local and international markets, as well as acquaint them with regulatory policies governing the industry, while also introducing them to a network of existing practitioners, based on their interest.

Another resource person, a Field Geologist at Azrab Geoservices, Mr. Azeez Razaq, took participants in small groups through a practical session of examining the properties of some gemstones specimens, their market value and opportunities for small scale businesses and e-commerce.

Speaking with some participants, Peter Ikpe Akpan of Onna LGA, Miracle Oyoh of Mbo and Otobong Harrison of Mkpat Enin, in their separate reactions, expressed delight over their selection and the rich resources the programme offered them, and commended Senator Sampson and the Nigeria Mining Cadastre Office for going beyond the handouts, to empower the youths with uncommon skills.