Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, has called on youths across the state to focus on acquiring practical skills and professional development that are essential in today’s job market and critical for solving modern challenges.
Governor Eno made the call at the opening ceremony of the 2025 International Pastors’ Conference held at Insight Bible Church, Uyo. The event, themed “Modelling Christ,” attracted members of the State Executive Council, pastors, and church leaders from within and outside the state.
The Governor described the conference as not just a spiritual gathering but a platform for human capital development, highlighting that there is an urgent need for capable individuals across various sectors.
“The truth is, this is a human capital development programme; and looking at it realistically, the world is in short supply of human capacity,” Eno said. “Whether in ministry, politics, management, and so on, we are really in short supply of capable men.”
Governor Eno stressed that there are existing vacancies in Akwa Ibom State that require specific expertise, and encouraged young people to rise to the challenge. “In our State currently, there are some vacancies to be filled in some specific areas, and our people need to rise up to these needs. We are seriously looking for Special Assistants on Climate Change, Carbon Credit, Blue Economy, and the likes, not some kind of general purpose personnel,” he noted.
The Governor emphasized that the dearth of qualified professionals in critical areas like climate change, carbon management, and the blue economy is affecting government operations and progress. He encouraged the youths to seek knowledge that aligns with the state’s developmental needs.
“There is a dearth of serious capacity in critical areas in the State, and our youths and our people should rise to the occasion by developing themselves in critical skills and professional areas of our present societal needs,” Eno said.
Governor Eno also commended the efforts of Pastor Sylvanus Ukafia, Coordinator of the International Pastors’ Conference, for his consistency in building leadership capacity through the conference since its inception in 1999.
“We thank God for the grace that He has given to Dr. Ukafia and the Insight Bible Church to carry on this Pastors’ Conference since 1999,” Eno stated. “I don’t know of any other church leadership in Akwa Ibom State that has been consistent with pastors’ training and leadership conference like this. So I thank you.”
Speaking further, the Governor urged pastors to prioritize continuous learning and skill development in order to lead their congregations effectively. He noted the essential role of pastors as spiritual and social leaders.
“As Pastors, we need pastoral training because if a pastor is well trained and sound, he would be able to stand the test of time to impact the necessary knowledge and experience on the people,” he said.
“No matter how much a leader, like us, knows, when he comes to a church, he listens to his Pastor. He expects the Pastor to help him in sound counselling, motivation, and superior ideas to function well in his leadership position.”
In his remarks, Pastor Ukafia praised Governor Eno for his unwavering support and commitment to the success of the conference. He described the Governor’s leadership style as exemplary and inspiring.
The five-day conference is designed to provide spiritual renewal, leadership coaching, and strategic insight for church leaders, aligning with national conversations on capacity building, professional growth, and skills acquisition.
In other news, AKSG has launched Tree Crops Development Plan to boost agriculture.
