By Kelvin Ohoror
Entrepreneurs remain the backbone of every thriving economy. Through innovation, creativity, and risk-taking, they stimulate job creation, drive economic growth, and foster sustainable development. When entrepreneurs introduce new or path-breaking ideas, they not only provide quality products and services but also open up employment opportunities that catalyse growth across related sectors of the economy.
It is against this backdrop that the Member representing Isoko North and South Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Jonathan Ajirioghene Ukodhiko, has continued to invest deliberately in building a new generation of entrepreneurs across Isoko land. His approach is anchored on the conviction that lasting development is achieved not through handouts, but through equipping people with relevant skills, mentorship, and the resources required to become self-reliant and economically productive.
Hon. Ukodhiko firmly believes that true empowerment lies in enabling individuals to become change-makers within their communities. To this end, he has consistently rolled out well-structured programmes focused on entrepreneurial skills development, vocational training, and financial support for start-ups and small businesses.
Through these interventions, tangible impacts have been recorded across the constituency. No fewer than 70 constituents were trained in air freshener and bleach production, with each beneficiary receiving ₦200,000 as start-up support. In addition, other small business owners were supported with ₦500,000 each, while 150 small-scale entrepreneurs received ₦200,000 apiece. One hundred petty traders were also empowered with ₦100,000 each to strengthen and expand their businesses.
In a major push for inclusive economic participation, especially among women, a total of ₦60 million was committed to skill acquisition and entrepreneurship training programmes. Under this initiative, 200 women were trained in soap production, with each participant receiving a ₦100,000 start-up grant to immediately translate skills into viable businesses.
Furthermore, Hon. Ukodhiko attracted Zonal Intervention Projects (ZIP) valued at ₦113 million for advanced skill acquisition in areas such as car tracking, web design, tailoring, POP installation, tiling, and photography. Beneficiaries under the ICT and photography categories received ₦250,000 each, while those in various artisan trades received ₦200,000 each to establish or expand their ventures.
Agricultural entrepreneurship was not left out. Pig farmers were trained and supported with ₦550,000 each as start-up grants, while fish farmers received 4,000 juvenile fish, six bags of imported fish feed, and an additional ₦150,000 in cash support. Altogether, over 400 beneficiaries across the Isoko Federal Constituency have been empowered through these agricultural initiatives.
These innovative and well-targeted empowerment programmes have not only created jobs and businesses but have also encouraged creativity, innovation, and sustainable solutions to socio-economic challenges within the constituency. By enabling constituents to generate income and build wealth, Hon. Ukodhiko’s interventions are directly contributing to poverty reduction, economic self-sufficiency, and improved livelihoods.
It is widely acknowledged that Hon. Jonathan Ajirioghene Ukodhiko’s philosophy of governance is rooted in people-centred development. By strategically empowering individuals and communities, he continues to unlock hidden potential, build resilience, and lay the foundation for a more prosperous and sustainable future for Isoko land.
