In a decisive move to stimulate the local economy and reduce unemployment, the Executive Chairman of Okrika Local Government Area, Hon. Akuro Tobin, has launched a multi-million Naira human capacity development initiative at the Okrika Council Secretariat.
The venue was filled with people and activity as over 400 residents, including small-scale entrepreneurs, fishermen, and vocational trainees, received direct financial support and industrial equipment to scale their operations.
The empowerment program, which fulfills a core campaign promise of the administration’s “Budget of New Beginnings,” targeted the most vulnerable and active sectors of the Okrika economy. Almost 300 existing small-business owners received a ₦45 million cash injection, with each receiving ₦150,000 each.
According to the Chairman, this grant is intended to provide the necessary liquidity for traders and artisans to navigate the current inflationary pressures affecting the South-South region.
Recognizing Okrika’s traditional role as a coastal economic powerhouse, Hon. Tobin placed extra emphasis on the blue economy. He distributed seven fully-equipped fishing boats and kits to local fishermen to modernize their catch capacity.
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In a unique gesture of inclusion, one of the fishing boats was specifically allocated to a collective of market women to assist in the logistics of transporting seafood from the creeks to urban markets. Additionally, 50 other fishermen received professional-grade fishing kits to enhance their daily productivity.
The Chairman also celebrated the graduation of 100 youth and women who recently completed intensive training in soap making and perfume production. Beyond the certificates, each graduate was handed ₦30,000 in seed capital alongside “starter packs” containing raw materials and mixing equipment.
Speaking at the ceremony, Hon. Tobin urged the beneficiaries to see the gesture not as “national cake,” but as a foundation for sustainable wealth. “We are moving away from the culture of handouts to a culture of productivity,” Tobin stated, adding that his administration would monitor the progress of the beneficiaries through the Council’s Empowerment Team.
In the coming days, weeks, and months, the impact of the distribution would be felt across the 143 communities in Okrika LGA. Local business leaders have praised the Chairman for the transparency of the selection process, which included non-indigenes and diverse tribal groups within the area.
By focusing on the intersection of maritime trade and local manufacturing, the Okrika Local Government is positioning itself as a model for grassroots economic development in Rivers State. Residents now hope that this quarterly empowerment model will be sustained to further bridge the poverty gap in the Niger Delta.
