The Abia State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (ASOPADEC), under the leadership of Ven. Dr. Joshua Ogadinma Onyeike, has successfully concluded a three-day skill acquisition and empowerment programme for indigent Asa women drawn from the Ipu and Asa Group communities in Ukwa West.
Speaking at Owaza Central School during the grand finale of the programme, Ven. Onyeike represented by the Director of Social Welfare of the Commission, Mrs. Amarachi Isaac-Nwachukwu, commended the participants for their dedication and encouraged them to utilise their newly acquired skills and financial support judiciously.
The intensive training, which ran from Thursday, 13th November to Saturday, 15th November 2025, equipped over eighty beneficiaries with hands on expertise in baking, culinary arts, makeup artistry, and event decoration.
Dr. Onyeike noted that the initiative aligns with the human capital development agenda of Governor Dr. Alex Otti’s Labour Party-led administration, which is committed to strengthening the capacity of vulnerable groups across the state.
“Your willingness to learn is the first step toward economic independence. Use these tools to build a brighter future for yourselves and your families,” Onyeike stated.
In their separate remarks, some of the participants who shared their experiences during the programme included:
Mrs. Eucharia Oscar – Baking and pastry skills
Mrs. Nkiru Uzoije – Culinary arts
Mrs. Juliet Nna – Event decoration
Mrs. Goodluck Japhet – Makeup artistry
They each expressed heartfelt appreciation to Ven. Dr. Joshua Ogadinma Onyeike, the management of ASOPADEC, and the Governor of Abia State, Dr. Alex Otti, for the life changing opportunity.
The ceremony featured a lively dance session by the women in appreciation of ASOPADEC’s management and Governor Otti, as well as the symbolic ceremonial cutting of a beautifully crafted cake prepared by the newly trained bakers.
The event was graced by some traditional rulers, some Labour Party stakeholders, and several dignitaries from the Ipu and Asa Group communities of Ukwa West.
Blessing Nwokoagbara
Reporting for ASOPADEC.
