By; PATRICK TITUS, Uyo
The Correspondents’ Chapel of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Akwa Ibom State Council, has bagged a Community Service Promotions Award, courtesy of an Uyo-based NGO, the Citizens Outreach Nigeria (CitOut).
Chapel Chairman and Correspondent of Daily Independent Newspaper, Mrs. Idongesit Ashameri received the award on Monday in Uyo on behalf of members.
The occasion was the 3.0 edition of Citizens Outreach Nigeria, which had participants brainstorming on growing Small and Medium scale entrepreneurship in the state.
At the event, experts have identified self introspection, personal branding, proper time management, building human bridges and communication as key elements to personal capacity building and growth.
These components are considered as key indices for economic development especially for small and medium scale entrepreneurs. Vice chairman of Mkpat Enin local government area, Mercy Bassey has said.
Bassey said self introspection would enable those intending to go into businesses to examine their motives and assist such ones make consistent effort towards self improvement.
“Personal branding is about consistently communicating who you are, what you stand for and your values to people strategically. Personal capacity building singles one out from the crowd. There is constant and inconsistent improvement on one’s effort. New ideas and ways of achieving set goals keep emerging while keeping abreast with trends.
“Personal capacity building increases the quality of what we can offer. New versions, editions, innovations in products and services are all manifestation of the ingenuity of the human mind. The more we task our inherent abilities, the better the output,” she said.
On his part, Mr. Michael Bush, Chairman of the 3.0 edition of CitOut, with the theme; “Harnessing Citizenship Engagement for Economic Development: SMEs as Catalysts”, encouraged those going into businesses to venture into areas necessity.
You could start a business from your living room and grow it into an international income earner. Do not decide to go where the big money is. Dont follow the trend, follow your mind. venture into an area of basic necessity. It shouldn’t always be about politics,” he said
Also speaking, one of the renounced SME operators in Akwa Ibom State, Mr Ime Uwah identifed lack of enterprenuership education as one of the objects sitting on the wheels of SMEs progress in the state.
While expressing optimism that the proposed Akwa Ibom State youth fund bill will soon be legalised and assented to by the Governor, Uwah called for preparedness on the part of young entrepreneurs in the state.
“You.must join enterpreneurs accross the globe to acquire skills. leaverage on your unique seliing point to stay on top of your game. knowledge and certain soft skills are the major tools. Prepare a good business plan and good cash flow, seek knowledge and pursue it. understand your business if you must grow. know the business of the industry you go into,” he advised.
The discussion panel which had successful young entrepreneurs and other professionals deliberated on the issue of multiple taxation by government ministries and agencies, called for harmonisation of such roles, need to operate within the ambit of the law, as well as the need for victims of multiple taxation to reach out to appropriate quarters.
