By Osondu Ahirika
Watching the growth of the Human Capacity Building vision is now my adopted pet project.
I’m thrilled to announce that Oron Local Government has come to the party.
It was on April 14, 2025, that the ARISE Human Capital Development Strategy was launched by His Excellency, Pastor Umo Eno, PhD, in Akwa Ibom State.
That milestone was considered significant enough to have Vice-President Kashim Shettima personally launch the plan.
His words at the occasion were noteworthy.
He acknowledged Akwa Ibom State as the first in the nation to localise the Human Capital Development vision in its truest form.
He described it as a template for each State of the Federation to replicate.
I distilled that to further suppose, it is a template every Local Government Council in Akwa Ibom should domesticate.
Thankfully, Ibeno and Itu LGAS quickly hearkened to Governor Umo Eno’s plea that the Council Chairmen should invest in HCD for the good of their people.
The Chairman of Oron Local Government Area, Hon. Chief Okon Asukwo Enweme, has made good on his promise.
Prioritising the capacity-building initiatives his administration had since entrenched.
Chief Enweme has enrolled 10 indigenes of Oron for the one-month intensive training course on product manufacturing at the Dakkada Skills Acquisition Centre, DASAC.
Fully paid the 2.5 million Naira fees which cover feeding, accommodation, and training materials for the duration of the training. I’m not surprised Chief Enweme is thus proactive.
It is on record that he appointed over 75 Aides from the five Local Government Areas of Oro nation.
Arguing incontrovertibly, that Oron Local Government is the melting point of the Federal Constituency.
The health and education of his people have been his strong point.
Since assuming office, Chief Enweme sponsored a cervical cancer screening for over 1000 women from Oro nation.
Another 850 people got free eye tests, treatment, and surgery by case merit.
The Oron Council boss graciously bankrolled 200 Oron youths in ICT training in partnership with EDAF ICT hub.
We can’t overstress how important ICT knowledge is in today’s labour market.
He also procured 200 JAMB forms for prospective UTME candidates ensuring they had free preparatory tutorials for the examination.
Chief Enweme has set his sights on the construction of an administrative block. A proposed storey building structure that will house the office of the Chairman, Vice Chairman, and the entire executive council.
In the interim, the Council Secretariat wears a new look of beautification. With 95 stands of solar street lights lighting up the Council Secretariat preventing recurrent theft and security breaches.
It is now a given that Oron Local Government will have 10 persons who will become entrepreneurs.
At the end of their internship and training. In areas vast, that include:
Manufacturing of agro-allied products and herbicides.
Beverages, confectioneries, and food products.
Car-care products like engine oil, grease, clutch, and brake fluid.
Cosmetics /body care products as well as cleaning products such as bleach, scouring powder, toilet cleaner, etc.
Also, available in the course outline is the manufacturing of detergents – bars, liquid, and powder.
The manufacturing of all kinds of drinks – soft drinks, juice, wines, energy drinks, etc;
Production of fragrances like perfume, deodorants, and air fresheners.
Healthcare products such as broad-spectrum disinfectants, Dettol-type disinfectants, and methylated spirits.
Household products/textile and leather dye. Products in this category include cold water starch, foam/mattress, toothpaste, shoe polish, and candles, which are covered in the choice areas.
Would-be trainees can select their area of interest from these.
Imagine unleashing these 10 persons into the new Oron, given the development surge anticipated in the area courtesy of Governor Umo Eno.
Or have you forgotten? Under Governor Umo Eno’s ARISE Agenda Oron is upswing.
A modern terminal building is ongoing at the Oron Beach.
Concurrent construction of storage facilities, including warehouses, dry storage, and solar-powered cold rooms, to support the fishing industry and ensure the preservation of perishable goods are inclusive.
Governor Eno is building a new cargo jetty, ferry jetty, with marine security force in place.
A modern motor park, shoreline embankment, a 12 lane superhighway in the offing, and the Ibom Deep Seaport promise.
Oron must build human capacity to leverage on these developments snd prevent capital flight going forward.
Beyond that, I can’t help but stretch my imagination to having 10 persons from the 31 Local Government Areas, emerge with expertise in any or all of these vocations.
More of our young people are being taken off the dragnet of social vices and crimes.
Corporate organisations and multinational companies can sponsor people for the training too.
Our Lawmakers can sponsor some persons on this HCD plan as their Constituency project of course.
Akwa Ibom has been set on the right track by Governor Umo Eno. Something great is about to happen.
Ahirika is Head of Media and Advocacy Unit, EARCOM, Akwa Ibom State.
