Cross River State Government Launches 2024 Capacity Development and Empowerment Training for Cooperatives in Collaboration with Interweave Solutions Across 196 Wards

In fulfilment of his campaign promises and ensuring that his administration continues to put the People First, the Cross River State Government under the Ministry of Human Capital and Entrepreneurial Development headed by Hon. Kingsley Namgbe Egumi, has in collaboration with the Interweave Solutions International, an international nonprofit organization that specializes in self-reliance, flagged off the 2024 Capacity Development and Empowerment Training Program For Cooperatives across the 196 Wards of the State.

With Calabar Municipality being the first local government area to benefit from the capacity development and empowerment training, the Honorable Commissioner for Human Capital and Entrepreneurial Development during the flagging off exercise on behalf of the State Governor Sen. Prince Bassey Otu charged participants to show commitment and dedication by using this ample opportunity to equip themselves with the necessary skills that would help them promote their businesses to enhance more profit and sustainability.

In his words, "His Excellency Sen. Prince Bassey Edet Otu during his campaign promised that his government would be the People First, in fulfilment of that campaign promise, the Ministry of Human Capital and Entrepreneurial Development under my watch is in collaboration/partnership with Interweave Solutions International carrying out this training exercise across the 196 Wards of the State to empower the over 196 Cooperatives in the State. The essence of this training is to empower the participants by giving them the needed skills in financial management, and business plan writing amongst other benefits to ensure their businesses remain self-reliant and profitable.

We've started with Calabar Municipality LGA today, His Excellency has instructed me to on behalf of the State Government flag off this exercise. The over 14 cooperatives in Calabar Municipality are all here and by the end of this training, our target is to get over 30,000 cross riverians out of poverty, this is the desire of His Excellency and all hands are on deck to achieve this."

The Commissioner ended by reassuring participants that at the end of the exercise, they'll be issued valid certificates which have already been paid for by the State Governor, Sen Prince Bassey Edet Otu. The Commissioner promised more sustainability of the program with a proper Monitoring and Evaluation team to ensure effective participation so that in the end, Cooperatives will come out strong and ready to be self-reliant just as the theme of the training, 'Poverty To Self Reliance'.

In his goodwill message, the Country Director of Interweave Solutions International, Mr. Exodus Esuku Ibor thanked the State Government through the Ministry of Human Capital and Entrepreneurial Development for seeing the need to empower the citizens with the required knowledge and skills to boost their different businesses which will in turn boost the economy of the State. "As an NGO, we offer unique training with some interesting principles, we have a mechanism to monitor and evaluate their individual and collective progress."

Interweave Solutions is ranked first in the world with over 70,000 graduates, it's in 84 countries of the world with success stories and databases to ensure success so participants are indeed in safe hands.

Also speaking, the Cross River State Director for Cooperatives Mrs Esther Obaji thanked the state government and the Ministry of Human Capital and Entrepreneurial Development for having the people of the state at heart and seeing the need to carry out this training enumerating the very many advantages that will come with it while charging the participants to give in their best knowing that they were selected amongst many for the exercise which is indeed a rare privilege.

On her part, Mrs Ekanem Henshaw, the HOLGA of Calabar Municipality LGA thanked the State Governor Sen. Prince Bassey Edet Otu and the Honorable Commissioner for having this initiative, she reiterated that with the poor economy the country is facing today, business and entrepreneurship are what can help us strive as a people. She assured participants of safety and comfort throughout the 3-day training.

The Honorable Commissioner during the event was accompanied by, Mr Louis Ibok, the Director for Enterprise CRS, the CRS State Director for Interweave Solutions Mr Christopher Albert, and other Directors of the Ministry of Human Capital and Entrepreneurial Development. The 3-day training will cover interesting topics like; an Introduction and Overview of Core Business Skills, Financial Literacy and Business Planning, Marketing Strategies and Sales Techniques as well as Networking. Indeed the Ministry of Human Capital and Entrepreneurial Development under the watch/leadership of Hon. Kingsley Namgbe Egumi is leading the ride in human capacity building and empowerment.

MHCED Media.