Senator Bassey Akpan, a Young Progressives Party (YPP) candidate for governor, has promised to establish an N50 billion economic and development trust fund in Akwa Ibom if elected in 2023.
The trust fund, according to Akpan, would help Akwa Ibom youths create their own businesses and get jobs.
He committed at the weekend's official flag-off of the governorship and House of Assembly campaigns in Uyo.
The governor candidate, a senator for the Uyo Senatorial District, also pledged to create 500,000 jobs in two years if elected.
Akpan, who presented a five-point plan for economic and social development, said he came up with the agenda after analysing the daily demands of the populace and the modern economy.
In his words “Our entire blueprint covers three segments-short-, medium and long term impacts all woven into sustainable and implementable trajectories”.
“As a first step, plans have been concluded to launch in the first three months of our assuming office, the first phase of N50 billion prosperity trust fund”.
He listed specific areas of his development blueprint including agriculture, rural development, education, health, economic prosperity and infrastructure, security, tourism, administrative reforms, and completion of projects.
He added that his administration would combine agriculture with a robust and sellable tourism development master plan.
The YPP guber candidate also used the occasion to disclose his plans to curb waste in government and reverse the “current poverty trend in the state”.