enator Aniekan Bassey Empowers Constituents with Oil Palm Farming Training

In a bold move to promote economic empowerment, food security, and rural development, Senator Aniekan Bassey, representing Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District, has launched a two-day intensive training programme focused on oil palm farming and value chain development for his constituents.

The training, held at the Aniekan Bassey Senatorial District Secretariat, is part of the Senator’s broader commitment to grassroots development and sustainable livelihoods through human capital investment. The initiative is strategically designed to position oil palm farming as a viable and lucrative agro-economic activity for constituents across the senatorial district.

Declaring the programme open, the Chairman of Ibesikpo Asutan Local Government Council, Hon. Edidiong Inyang, emphasized the relevance of the training, which he described as “a grassroots-oriented empowerment drive tailored to equip beneficiaries with technical know-how in oil palm cultivation, processing, and marketing.” He further noted that the programme aligns with national economic diversification goals and will serve as a springboard for job creation and skills development.

“The benefits are multifaceted,” Hon. Inyang said. “Beyond skills acquisition, this programme promotes agripreneurship, enhances household incomes, and contributes to the broader goal of economic self-reliance.”

Also speaking at the event, the Director General of Team Aniekan Bassey, Obong Godwin Awah, highlighted the Senator’s forward-thinking vision for economic sustainability. “Senator Bassey’s approach is not just about providing temporary relief; it’s about building systems that enable people to thrive independently,” he said. “Oil palm farming offers vast opportunities—from cultivation to processing and export—and this training empowers our people to become key players in that space.”

Obong Awah also underscored the programme’s alignment with both state and federal agendas to reduce dependence on crude oil, increase local production, and bolster agro-industrial capacity in Akwa Ibom State.

In his remarks, the Director of the training programme, Hon. Desmond Etim, revealed that participants will not only receive hands-on training but will also be empowered with start-up capital and high-yield palm seedlings. This, he said, will enable them to immediately begin their journey into commercial oil palm farming and agribusiness.

“This training supports Governor Umo Eno’s A.R.I.S.E. Agenda,” Hon. Etim noted, “particularly in the areas of agricultural development, rural empowerment, and inclusive economic growth.”

One of the key facilitators, Mr. Ernest Awakessien from the Ministry of Agriculture, led participants through practical sessions, stressing the importance of proper plantation management and modern farming techniques. He expressed optimism that, as implementation progresses, Akwa Ibom will emerge as a hub for oil palm production and agribusiness in Nigeria.

Senator Aniekan Bassey’s latest initiative has been widely praised by constituents and stakeholders as a transformative step toward economic independence and sustainable development in the region.