From Isaac Job, Uyo
Akwa Ibom State Governor Pastor Umo Eno has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) for the implementation of the A-R-I-S-E agenda initiative of the present administration in the state.
Speaking during the execution of the agreement at Government House, Uyo, Eno lauded the interest and commitment of UNDP to strategically partner with the state government to optimally realise the vision of the ARISE Agenda.
Eno explained that the state government was committed to the agreement and would successfully drive the implementation process.
googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-1718806029429-0’); });
His words: “God willing, we will do everything in our power to ensure that we work with you to actualise our vision, because ultimately it is our vision that you are helping to actualise.
“It is in our interest to ensure that we work with you as we open up frontiers to help our people in the areas already highlighted, to include tourism, blue economy, skills and innovation, entrepreneurship, and trade.”
Governor Eno informed the UNDP team of his government’s plan to open Youth-Friendly Centres in all 31 Local Government Areas of the state to help develop the skills, creativity, and innovative ideas of young people in the state, especially those residing in rural areas.
“This becomes quite significant and necessary because that’s where we intend to galvanise them. For me, I believe that not all of them have to come to congregate in Uyo.
“So, we are building these Youth-Friendly Centres at the headquarters of the Local Government Areas for them to congregate to develop their skills and innovative ideas for their meaningful productivity and living. And we believe we can work with you on all of these,” he added.
Eno assured the UNDP team of office accommodation in Uyo to ease their operations and proximity to their projects and programmes’ monitoring.
Earlier, the UNDP Resident Representative in Nigeria, Mrs Elsie Attafuah, commended the state government for standing out as an excellent model for other sub-nationals in its health, education, and aviation sectors.
Attafuah disclosed that the UNDP team came to build on the vision of the Governor and strengthen collaboration between the state and the organisation.
She identified five possible areas of collaboration, to include: tourism; blue economy; energy; skills acquisition and innovation; broad governance; and finance development.
“The essence of the team’s partnership is to promote the ARISE Agenda and create jobs for people of the state.
“This will include high-tech expertise that the team will bring as it stands a better chance to be transformed significantly.”
The post Eno signs MoU with UNDP for implementation of ARISE agenda in Akwa Ibom appeared first on The Sun Nigeria.
