…Unveils ARISE Youth Development Centre in Etinan
…Targets 31,000 Youths Yearly
By Ndifreke Bassey
Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to youth development, skills acquisition and economic empowerment with the inauguration of the ARISE Youth Development Centre in Etinan Local Government Area.
The Centre is one of the youth development hubs being established across the 31 Local Government Areas of the State to provide young people, particularly those in rural communities, with access to skills training, entrepreneurship opportunities, innovation and other support systems aimed at promoting self-reliance and economic participation.
Speaking on Tuesday, September 15, 2026, during the inauguration of the facility in Etinan, the Governor, who was represented by the Political Leader of Uyo Senatorial District, Senator Effiong Bob, said the initiative was conceived as a deliberate investment in the future of Akwa Ibom youths.
He said the Centres would serve as platforms for youth development, skills acquisition, empowerment and entrepreneurship, stressing that his administration was committed to creating opportunities that would enable young people to become productive and self-reliant.
In his welcome address, the Executive Chairman of Etinan Local Government Area, Hon. Uko Umoh, commended Governor Eno for locating the Centre in the rural community, describing the initiative as a timely intervention in addressing youth unemployment and promoting skills development.
Umoh urged youths in the area to take full advantage of the facility and use it as a springboard for talent discovery, skills acquisition and economic self-reliance.
The Council Chairman, who highlighted several interventions of the Eno administration in Etinan, said the ARISE Youth Development Centre had provided a major boost to efforts to tackle youth unemployment and equip young people with relevant skills.
“Your Excellency, you have done something that has touched me. You have done so much for Etinan Local Government. In terms of appointments and development, we are not left out. You have always carried us along,” he said.
Giving an overview of the project, the Commissioner for Youth Development, Dr. Ekerette Ekanem, described the ARISE Youth Development Centre as a strategic youth empowerment hub established to equip young people with relevant skills, entrepreneurship opportunities and support systems for self-reliance, innovation and economic participation.
According to him, the initiative reflects Governor Eno’s determination to reposition the youths for greater productivity while creating opportunities for them within their communities.
“The essence of the establishment of this Centre is an intentional effort of the Governor to bring what is happening in the urban centres and State capital to the rural areas, to check rural-urban drift,” Ekanem said.
The Commissioner disclosed that the Centres, which are being replicated across the 31 Local Government Areas, are equipped with solar power, internet connectivity and indoor games facilities, among other components designed to provide a conducive environment for learning, innovation and youth engagement.
He added that each Centre has the capacity to train a minimum of 1,000 youths annually, translating to at least 31,000 young people trained across the State every year.
Speaking on behalf of the youths, Comrade Ikakke Lawson expressed gratitude to Governor Eno for the initiative, describing the Centre as a significant investment in the future of young people in Etinan.
He said the facility demonstrated the Governor’s commitment to the welfare and advancement of the youths, while pledging their support for the administration.
Goodwill messages were also delivered by the Member representing Etinan/Nsit Ibom/Nsit Ubium Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Obong Paul Ekpo; the Commissioner for Justice and Attorney-General of the State, Uko Udom, SAN; Senior Legislative Aide to the Senate President, Aniefiok Dennis, Esq.; former Speaker of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Sam Ikon; and a woman leader, Prof. Usen Ikpe.
Others included the Chairman of the APC in Etinan Local Government Area, Israel Tommy; Member representing Etinan State Constituency in the State House of Assembly, Hon. Uduak Ekpo Ufot; former Commissioner for Health, Dr. Okon Emah; and the Paramount Ruler of the area, Edidem Aniefiok Monday Akpanobong.
The speakers commended Governor Eno for his investment in youth development, fiscal discipline and people-oriented governance, noting that the Centre would provide young people with opportunities to acquire productive skills and improve their livelihoods.
Obong Paul Ekpo expressed optimism that the facility would enhance self-reliance among youths in the Local Government Area and pledged to invest ₦10 million in the first batch of trainees enrolled at the Centre as seed investment to support their economic empowerment.
The Commissioner for Justice and Attorney-General, Uko Udom, who hails from Etinan, described the project as a legacy initiative of the Eno administration, assuring that the people of the Local Government Area would reciprocate the Governor’s commitment through their continued support.
Similarly, the House of Assembly Member, Hon. Uduak Ekpo Ufot, described the initiative as a “generational emancipation” for Etinan youths.
The Paramount Ruler of the area, Edidem Aniefiok Monday Akpanobong, said the Centre would contribute to peace and stability in the area by engaging young people productively and providing them with opportunities to develop their capacities.
The inauguration marks another step in the State Government’s broader effort to decentralise youth development programmes and bring skills acquisition, entrepreneurship and empowerment opportunities closer to young people across Akwa Ibom State.
