As part of his constituency project, the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio on Boxing Day presented 10 outboard engine fishing boats to women and cooperative groups of Akwa Ibom South Senatorial District in his country home in Ukana, Essien Udim Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom.

The women and cooperative societies were drawn from the riverine communities of Akwa Ibom State and have fishing as the mainstay of the economy of the area.

At the ceremony, the wife of the President of the Senate, Dr (Mrs) Ekaette Unoma Akpabio thanked the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio for remembering the women from the riverine communities of Akwa Ibom State.

She said the women were drawn from Eket Senatorial District because her husband is the Senate President for all, irrespective of the Senatorial Districts.

In his remarks, Akpabio commended the beneficiaries for their support. He said he had always enjoyed the support of women in Akwa Ibom State and therefore felt the need to empower them in their fishing business.

He told the women: “I can never forget your love; I can never forget your prayers, I can never forget your support. We are still standing strong because you are still praying.

“Let me thank you in advance for the support you will give to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2027. Today I’m making you also fishers of men. The nets will be for you to drag as much votes as possible for the All Progressives Congress, APC, in your Senatorial District.

“The President is very happy with Akwa Ibom State. Governor Umo Eno has made us proud. He is touching lives and making sure that human capital development is a major focus of his administration. Mine is to urge you to support him,” he said.

According to the Executive Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Dr Victor Antai who coordinated the presentation, each of the boats have fishing nets, refrigerator and extra tanks for fueling the boats and powering the outboard engines. The big boats have double 75 horsepower engines while the smaller boats have 40 horsepower engines.

A representative of the beneficiaries, Mma Nkoyo Isong expressed their appreciation to Senator Akpabio and his wife for empowering the women to fish instead of merely giving them fish. She said the women will reciprocate the kind gesture by their continued support for the Senate President and his party in the next general elections.

A few of the boats were brought for the symbolic presentation while Akpabio read out the names of the individual beneficiaries and the Cooperative Societies.

The Akwa Ibom State government through the Ministry of Agriculture has distributed assorted fishing nets, floaters, assorted ropes, hooks/lines, lead sinkers, basins, aprons, hat, among others to fishermen and fish processors in the state.

The distribution exercise took place at Idongesit Nkanga’s Secretariat, Uyo and was done by the commissioner in the ministry, Dr. Offiong Offor.

Represented by the Permanent Secretary Dr. Atim Okoko, the commissioner commended Governor Umo Eno for providing the funds for the program, as the initiative aligns with the ARISE Agenda, aimed at ensuring food security in the State.

Offor expressed enthusiasm about the success of the program, noting that the Ministry, under the Governor’s leadership, has already distributed improved cassava stems, maize, goats, coconut, oil palm, cocoa, poultry, fingerlings and now the fishermen and fish processors are receiving their share of empowerment.

“This initiative addresses both crop and animal production, helping to balance the diet of the citizens. This is just the first phase, with more beneficiaries expected in subsequent rounds,” she added.

Responding to the kind gesture of the state government, the Chairman of the Nigerian Association of Seafood Dealers, Akwa Ibom State Chapter, Mr. Francis Ekpenyong, stated that during the distribution of fishing inputs to Fishermen Cooperative Societies will go a long to reduce the cost of fish in the market.

Represented by Mr. Sunday Eshiet, the Chairman highlighted the operational challenges fishermen face between July and September due to high tides and noted that, recent flooding had led to the loss of nets and other fishing equipment, which negatively impacted fishing activities.

The Chairman lauded Governor Umo Eno for his commitment to supporting the Fisheries sector through the Ministry of Agriculture, describing the intervention as a major relief to beneficiaries.

Setting the tone for the occasion, the Director of Fisheries Mrs. Florence Ikpe described the intervention as government effort to help the Fisheries sector rebound, making fish more affordable, accessible and available

Ikpe appreciated the Commissioner for Agriculture for actualizing Governor Eno’s ARISE Agenda through this support and urged beneficiaries to make good use of the inputs.

In their separate goodwill messages, Permanent Secretaries from the Ministries of Environment/Mineral Resources, Iquo Abia (Esq), Education, Lady Rose Bassey, and the State Universal Basic Education Board, Dr. Roseline Mfon commended the ARISE Agenda, launched about two years ago, which has moved beyond policy into practical empowerment programs.

They emphasized that the fishing inputs distribution will ease the challenges faced by beneficiaries and positively impact the State’s economy.

They also advocated for collaboration to establish fish ponds in public primary and secondary schools, to expose students to fish farming skills as part of the growing focus on entrepreneurship within the school system.

The event was attended by the Permanent Secretaries, State Technical Schools Board, Mr. Effiong Nicholas, Work & Fire Service, Mr. Ignatius Ekwere, Directors in the Ministry of Agriculture, representatives of Fishermen Cooperative Societies, and Fish Processors from across the State.

As part of her commitment to enhance poultry production as well as Corporate-social Responsibility, the British America Tobacco Nigeria Foundation (BATNF) has partnered with the Akwa Ibom State Government to empower rural women with farm inputs.

Presenting the farm inputs to beneficiaries, the Commissioner for Agriculture & Rural Development, Dr. Offiong Offor lauded the initiative, saying it agrees with the ARISE agenda of Governor Umo Eno to boost agricultural production in the State.

Offor who reasoned that the foundation has made the good choice of the gender, that will run the vision, assured that in the next few years the noiler birds will multiply to boost food supply, across the State.

Represented by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture & Rural Development, Mrs. Rosemary Ubia, she applauded the State government and Commissioner for supporting the empowerment program.

While commending the Directors and the team members for their contributions to the program, the Agriculture boss advised recipients to properly groom the birds to multiply, as monitoring team will visit their locations to assess the progress of the farms in due course.

In his speech, the General Manager, BATNF, Oludare Odusanya who spoke through the Program Officer, Dr. Umar Maina, said the vision of the foundation, in sowing the seeds for a brighter future in the State, is a reflection of her investing in enterprising women.

Odusanya, hinted that the foundation which was found in 2002 has invested over 4 billion Naira in support of government’ agricultural development programmes to reach about 13 million rural smallholder farmers in Nigeria, has gone beyond providing resources, to enhancing development, resilience and economic empowerment of rural communities.

He commended the State government, for embracing the programme through the Ministry of Agriculture & Rural Development, to touch the lives of women in the rural communities, for income generation.

Welcoming the farmers, the Director Veterinary Services in the Ministry, Dr. Teddy Essien, said the programme is poised to promote rural agriculture and improve the species of our birds, called on the beneficiaries to propagate the intention of the foundation.

Setting the tone for the event, the Director Animal Husbandry, Dr. Namokwo Orok noted that the gesture is in line with the ARISE Agenda of the State government, which places agriculture revolution & rural development at the front burner and added that the partnership is timely.

In a brief training session, the Head of Veterinary Clinic, Dr. Aniefiok Okoko, said noiler species which are bred in Nigeria, is a genetic combination of layers, broilers and local chicks, having resistance to infections as well as ensuring feed efficiency.

In their separate goodwill messages, the State Chairman Poultry Farmers Association of Nigeria, Mr. Alexander Bassey, a farmer Obonganwan Idara Eyo Ekpe and others stated that Akwa Ibom State is the second largest producer of broiler in Nigeria; therefore the choice of noiler specie is welcomed due to its resistance to diseases and quantity of meat.

They lauded the donors for the empowerment programme and gave a commitment to nurture the inputs received to multiply and ensure food sufficiency in Akwa Ibom State.

At the event 100 rural women across the Akwa Ibom State received 20 numbers, 4 weeks noiler birds, a bag of feed and vitamins to enhance their growth.