Hon. Linda Somiari-Stewart, DSSRS, Deputy Leader of the Rivers State House of Assembly and member representing Okrika Constituency, has facilitated the construction of the Okrika Skills Acquisition and Business Development Centre as part of her constituency projects.
The facility, located in George Ama Community, Okrika Local Government Area, is aimed at equipping youths, women and other beneficiaries with practical vocational skills while creating opportunities for entrepreneurship and economic empowerment.
The centre is designed to provide market-relevant vocational training and pathways to recognised certification, enabling beneficiaries to validate their skills, improve their employment prospects and access wider economic opportunities.
Beyond skills acquisition, the facility will also serve as a business development hub where aspiring entrepreneurs and existing business owners can receive enterprise training, mentorship, business support and professional guidance.
The project is expected to help beneficiaries transform acquired skills and business ideas into sustainable ventures, while promoting self-reliance and economic independence.
When completed and operational, the centre is expected to:
• Provide practical and market-relevant vocational training.
• Support beneficiaries in obtaining recognised certifications.
• Improve employability and access to economic opportunities.
• Provide entrepreneurship and business development support.
• Encourage innovation and the growth of local enterprises.
• Create pathways from training to enterprise and sustainable livelihoods.
For Somiari-Stewart, meaningful representation should go beyond physical infrastructure to include deliberate investment in the skills, abilities, and economic future of constituents.
The skills centre therefore complements her reported interventions in road construction and other community infrastructure by focusing on human capital development and economic empowerment.
The project is being executed by El-Darlo Ventures Nigeria.
When completed, the Okrika Skills Acquisition and Business Development Centre is expected to provide a platform for residents to acquire relevant skills, develop businesses, and build sustainable livelihoods.
The initiative represents another step towards developing a more skilled, enterprising and economically resilient population in Okrika State Constituency.
Skills today. Enterprise tomorrow. A brighter future.
