Eshiorameh Sebastian in Abuja
Vice President Kashim Shettima inaugurated a one billion naira family-based business grant initiative in Akwa Ibom State on Saturday.
The launch, held in the Ukanafun/Oruk Anam Federal Constituency, underscored the Tinubu administration’s stated commitment to interventions that directly uplift households and stimulate inclusive growth.
Speaking at the event, which unified the federal government’s Renewed Hope Agenda with Governor Umo Eno’s state-level ARISE Agenda, Shettima articulated a core philosophy of the administration’s approach to development.
He said: “There is greater honour in empowering a man to create than in offering him a fleeting gift. True empowerment endures because it teaches the mind to search for its own doors, its own pathways, and its own opportunities.”
The initiative, conceived by the constituency’s representative in the House of Representatives, Unyime Idem, provides direct seed capital to 3,000 families to establish or expand small enterprises. The Vice President argued that such grassroots focus is where democracy proves its worth.
“This gathering aligns with the principle that democracy works when the dividends promised by us reach families at the grassroots, uplift our communities, and expand opportunities for all. “
Democracy finds its true essence not in speeches but in interventions that touch the lives of ordinary people in extraordinary ways,” Shetimma said.
He praised the collaborative spirit between the federal and Akwa Ibom State governments, noting that the convergence of agendas creates palpable progress for citizens. “This is what governance should look like: a seamless convergence of federal and state agendas at the exact point where citizens feel the impact,” the Vice President observed, nothing that “When leadership aligns in purpose, the people inherit progress.”
Outlining the expected ripple effects, Shettima explained that empowering a single family strengthens the entire national fabric. “When a family is empowered, a community is empowered; when a community is empowered, a nation is strengthened,” he said.
He urged the initial beneficiaries to invest the seed capital wisely, transforming it into a foundation for generational progress, and assured that subsequent batches would ensure no one is left behind.
Positioning the constituency initiative as a template, Shettima extended national gratitude to the lawmaker for his approach. “You have demonstrated that politics is most noble when it delivers hope, opportunity, and dignity,” he said, addressing Idem directly. “I congratulate Rt. Hon. Unyime Idem for recognising the danger of a nation left idle, and for choosing instead to invest in the industrious spirit of his people.”
In her remarks, the State Deputy Governor, Senator Akon Eyakenyi, thanked the Vice President for his frequent visits, noting he is seen in Akwa Ibom “not only as a distinguished leader but as a brother.” She urged beneficiaries to utilise the funds judiciously to bolster the local economy.
The host lawmaker, Unyime Idem, affirmed the transparency of the selection process and linked the grant’s impact directly to broader political support. “What it, therefore, means is that the Renewed Hope Agenda of the federal government and the ARISE Agenda of the state were fully captured,” Idem stated. He confidently added that the initiative had secured the constituents’ commitment to return President Tinubu for a second term in 2027.
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