By: Vitalis Ugoh,Calabar
The State Government has said that it would soon mobilize resources to encourage aggressive promotion and encouragement of artisanship in the state.
The Commissioner for Wealth Creation and Employment, Hon Patrick Egbede, who gave the assurance when he received a cobbler, Mr Emmanuel Ezima while showcasing his foot wears in his office in Calabar.
He described artisanship as one of the major pillars capable of sustaining the economy of the state.
Egbede decried Cross Riverians particularly youths who deride artisanship as a mean job as energy being misdirected, wasted, unrealistic and misleading.
The Commissioner revealed that the state government was focusing with a full beam , the search for economic rejuvenation of the state by developing the sector which had suffered some reasonable form of neglect over the years.
He emphasized that his Ministry has garnered and would within it’s capacity exhibit highly sensitive and desicive approach towards achieving the mandate entrusted to it particularly in the areas of wealth creation and employment.
He regretted that available statistics shows that a negligible percentage of Rivarians were deliberately engaged in artisanship leaving a huge chunk for stranger elements to overwhelm pointing out that though the state government is hospitable to everyone doing business in the state, indigenes should endeavor to make resonable landmark in the sector.
Hon Egbede reiterated that under the leadership of Senator Prince Bassey Edet Otu multiple wealth creation opportunities would be encouraged while new grounds would be exploited for employment.
According to him all economic ventures are of essence to the present administration and that none would be taken for granted including broom making, mat weaving,yam production and preservation, building construction arts work, welding, mechanics , painters, electricians and food vendors.
Presenting a pair of shoes to the Commissioner as a sample of his production, the cobbler, Mr Emmanuel Ezima said he used high quality materials sourced locally to produce foot wears of good value.
Mr Ezima said that he was seizing the opportunity to lure the state government into partnership with him to up his capacity for mass production which would also create jobs for youths either at the production level or along the value chain.
