Small scale business owners have been asked to always exhibit good business value that will enhance their reputation in business in all their dealings with customers. The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, Mrs. Mary Ewa, gave the charge at the 3rd graduation ceremony of the Uforo Small Scale Business Owners Association in Uyo.

The Permanent Secretary who was represented by the Director in her ministry, Mrs. Bassey Eshiet, said small scale businesses became important in order to elevate the social conditions of Akwa Ibom youths who are unemployed. She thanked the sponsors of the training programme, Mobil Producing Nigeria; Operator of NNPC/MPN joint venture for funding the training programme and for providing starter packs for the graduands to start their own businesses. The Permanent Secretary said the programme was of assistance to the state government in the actualization of the millennium development goals in that area of poverty reduction.

An Executive Director with Mobil Producing Nigeria, Mrs. Gloria Essien Dana, said the company has so far spent N65 million in training and providing start-up equipments for one hundred Akwa Ibomites under the scheme. Mrs. Essien Dana who was represented by Manager, public and government affairs, Mr. Akaninyene Esiere, commended the graduands for their hard-work, commitment and diligence while the training lasted. She expressed optimism that graduands trained on fashion designing and managerial course in marketing, business communication and stock-keeping will do well in their businesses. The Executive Director applauded the Uforo Small Business Owners Association for their steadfastness and high sense of commitment in training the graduands.

The Chairman on the occasion and Paramount Ruler of Etinan Local Government Area, Edidem Ime Dickson Umoette, who described the empowerment programme as being of benefit to the privileged and the less-privileged, thanked the initiators of the Uforo Small Business Owners Association for their fore-sight in training people on how to earn living.

The National President of Uforo Small Business Owners Association; Obonganwan Imoh Isemin, said the garments production training programme was a community support scheme of Mobil Producing Nigeria aimed at creating small businesses, transformation of small poorly-managed ventures and drawing people with entrepreneurial traits into industries. Obonganwan Isemin thanked NNPC/MPN joint venture for funding, promoting and improving training opportunities for women and the youth, describing Mobil’s effort in community development as fabulous.

Forty graduands passed out in the third batch of the programme and were given sewing machines, generating sets, pressing irons, tapes and scissors and cash of N30,000 each as starter packs.