The Akwa Ibom State Government on Wednesday stepped up efforts to integrate women in fishing and fish processing into formal cooperatives, positioning Uruan’s vast aquatic economy as a launchpad for broader agricultural ecosystem development.
Speaking at a women’s mobilisation and sensitisation programme in Uruan Local Government Area on February 25, Deputy Governor, Akon Eyakenyi said the push for cooperative-based fishing and hygienic fish processing schemes would enable women to benefit from the state’s N31 billion cooperative fund earmarked for the 31 local government areas.
Eyakenyi described Uruan as a strategic fishing hub in Akwa Ibom, with strong trade and cultural links to other riverine communities across the Niger Delta. She said formalising women’s participation through cooperatives would not only boost household incomes but also strengthen the state’s agricultural value chain, from catch to processing, storage, and market access.
“Women who are into fishing can go into healthy processing. Through cooperatives, they can benefit from traders’ and farmers’ grants,” she said, linking the initiative to the broader agricultural ecosystem development agenda of the Eno administration.
The deputy governor said the initiative aligns with Gov. Umo Eno’s agricultural ecosystem agenda, which seeks to move primary producers, especially women, from subsistence operations to organised enterprises capable of attracting financing, improving standards, and scaling distribution.
Uruan, located along the Cross River estuary, is widely regarded as one of the state’s major fish-producing corridors, supplying fresh and smoked fish to markets within Akwa Ibom and neighbouring states. By organising women into registered cooperative societies, the government aims to channel grants and structured support directly to grassroots producers.
Eyakenyi said the cooperative model would serve as a transparent vehicle for distributing traders’ and farmers’ grants, ensuring equitable access across wards.
She also urged women to obtain valid voter registration and Permanent Voter Cards, stressing that civic participation strengthens their voice in governance and policy decisions that affect their livelihoods.
In her remarks, the Coordinator, Office of the First Lady, Noble Lady Helen Obareki, said the growing enthusiasm of women across the state demonstrates confidence in the administration’s inclusive development strategy She encouraged sustained engagement in cooperative societies and political processes.
The Chairman of Uruan Local Government Area, Iniobong Ekpenyong, thanked residents for their continued support and said ongoing infrastructure and community projects in the area reflect the administration’s commitment to development.
Commissioner for Women Affairs Inibehe Silas emphasised the importance of proper documentation, urging women to obtain their Permanent Voter Cards from the Independent National Electoral Commission and complete their National Identification Number registration to access government programmes seamlessly.
Other speakers at the event commended the state government’s women-focused policies, describing the cooperative fishing and processing scheme as a practical step toward inclusive economic growth in riverine communities.
With Uruan’s established fishing heritage and its connectivity to broader Niger Delta waterways, officials said the cooperative drive could transform informal fish trading networks into structured enterprises, deepening women’s financial inclusion and reinforcing agriculture as a pillar of Akwa Ibom’s economic diversification strategy.
Sen. Aniekan Bassey, represented by Kufreabasi Etuk, urged women to remain active in politics, thanking the governor for what he described as sustained support for women and children in Uruan.
Member representing Uruan State Constituency, Dr. Itoro Etim praised the governor’s backing for women, describing Uruan women as politically intelligent and historically active in grassroots mobilisation.
Commissioner for Internal Security Gen. Koko Essien said improved safety across the state should further motivate women to support the administration.
Political Adviser to the Governor, Dr. Godwin Ntuk Udeh said voter registration was gaining momentum in Uruan and highlighted ongoing road and hospital projects in the area.
Chairman of the Akwa Ibom State Internal Revenue Service, Okon OKon, said the women of Uruan were ready to support the administration, while Dr. Inemesit Uwa, wife of the political leader of Uyo Federal Constituency and Secretary to the State Government, said the governor’s policies had positively impacted women across Akwa Ibom State.
With Uruan’s strategic role in the state’s fisheries value chain, officials said the cooperative drive could transform informal fish trading networks into structured enterprises, deepening women’s financial inclusion and reinforcing agriculture as a pillar of Akwa Ibom’s economic diversification strategy.
