By Uko Okon, Uyo.
The Vice President, Sen. Kashim Shettima, officially launched the ARISE Human Capital Development (HCD) Strategy Plan in Uyo, making Akwa Ibom the first to localize the HCD vision.
The Vice President made the unveiling on Monday at the Banquet Hall of Government House, Uyo.
Shettima said the unveiling is a declaration that the true wealth of any nation lies in its human capital development, which includes the education of its people and the health of its citizens.
He said that every policy or program that intervenes in the lives of our people can only succeed if it is rooted in the grassroots.
He said that the human capital development plan was guided by a steady understanding of the direction of the world and where it is headed.
He said the country must pay attention to citizens’ immunization, youth unemployment, and maternal mortality to enhance human capital development
He urged the State Government to domesticate the programme across the local government areas to enhance development at the grassroots.
Shettima added that the national human capital development programme, which has entered its second phase, is a solution that has been re-engineered to meet the moment.
“This is a declaration that the true wealth of any nation lies in the certainty of its human capital development, the education of its people, the health of its citizens, and the productivity of its workforce.”
“And what has brought us here to Uyo, the launch of the ARISE human capital development strategy by Governor Umo Eno, is a template for states of the federation.”
“It is a strategy that we cannot build an enduring past without a solid foundation.”
“What Akwa Ibom has assured us here is not just progress but core leadership. It has become the first state in the nation to localize the HCD vision in its square point,” Shettima said.
The Vice President urged other states of the federation to emulate the Akwa Ibom strategic human capital development plan.
Shettima commended Gov. Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom for his leadership vision in driving the initiative in the state.
In his remarks, Gov. Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom said the program of human capital development became imperative due to the paucity of trained manpower to address the challenges that the world and the nation faced in the aftermath of COVID-19.
Eno stated that it became necessary and proper for the state government to strengthen individual and institutional capacities to rise in real time to confront future pandemics.
The Human Capital Development Plan, apart from the above key area, is also designed to expansively provide essential human-centric projects such as healthcare services, which we are currently executing through our investments in the construction and equipping of primary healthcare centers.
“The provision of quality education at both the primary and secondary levels with the construction and equipping of model primary schools.
“The planned construction of model secondary schools in three senatorial districts; the empowerment of our people, and equipping them with requisite skills and knowledge they need to succeed in a rapidly changing world.
“This, we have done with the establishment of Ibom Leadership and Entrepreneurial Development Centre (IBOM-LED) which today, has trained over 4, 000 people with start-up grants ranging from N5, 000, 00-N750, 000.
“The Dakkada Skills Acquisition Centre (DASAC), where we recently graduated over 400 trainees in various areas of marketable and entrepreneurial skills-set.
“These 400 graduands who were trained in areas such as ICT, mechanised agriculture, carpentry, fashion design, tourism etc will be further exposed to additional trainings by IBOM-LED in entrepreneurial and other critical skillset,” Eno said.
The Governor commended the administration President Bola Tinubu for this critical initiative, stressing that the President does not play politics with development.
He said the State was highly appreciative of the Federal Government for selecting Akwa Ibom as the first for the launch of the programme.
“We are thrilled that our State was selected as the first for the launch of this program.
“This has further reinforced the fact that the Federal Government under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu, does not play politics with development and this we deeply appreciate,” he said.
In her goodwill message, Mrs Nkechi Obi, Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Techno Oil Limited said that there could not be any meaningful development of any society without a deliberate actionable roadmap to address the critical challenges militating against human capital development.
Obi said that the importance of human capital development to the economic buoyancy of a developing country like Nigeria cannot be overemphasised.
She said that Techno oil is in the forefront of ensure cleaner, greener safer and more environment friendly cooking for the women by producing quality cooking cylinders for the nation.
“As a woman, I strongly believe that our women and girls must not cook to die, rather they must cook to live.
“Techno Oil Limited which has been in business for over two decades is an integrated, wholly indigenous company which today holds a diverse portfolio of prime investment in oil and gas, energy, infrastructure and manufacturing.
“As a strategic partner committed to the Energy Transition Plan, LPG Utilization and expansion programmes of the Federal Government of Nigeria,
“Techno Oil have in operation an Ultra-modern LPG Cylinder Manufacturing Plant with an annual production capacity of five million Cylinders,” Obi said.
Obi said from 2013 to date, Techno Oil has distributed over 20, 000 units of 6KG LPG cylinders to indigent women in Nigeria as Corporate Social Responsibility, aimed at promoting clean cooking amongst women and girls.
In his welcome remark, the Chairman , Akwa Ibom State Human Capital Development Council, Dr Nathaniel Adiakpan noted that the ARISE Human Capital Development Strategic Plan represents the collective resolve to empower citizens through education, key development and opportunities that foster innovation and creativity.
Adiakpan said the comprehensive framework is designed to address the unique needs of communities, to ensure that every citizen has resources and support releasing to thrive.
