Cross River State Governor, Prince Bassey Otu, has handed out eight hundred million naira to four hundred indigenes of the State.
The financial empowerment for the beneficiaries, including two hundred farmers and two hundred former members of the defunct Bakassi Defence Force, aims at supporting their reintegration, agricultural ventures, and entrepreneurial pursuits.
The recipients, who recently concluded intensive training on Innovative and Integrated Agricultural Value Chains at CSS Farms in Nasarawa State, each received two million naira in seed capital to either establish or expand their businesses.
Speaking at the Empowerment ceremony in Calabar, Governor Otu described the initiative as a deliberate effort to redirect the energy of young people from destructive tendencies towards productive and transformative ventures.
“Today’s empowerment programme is targeted at redirecting the strength of our youths from destructive to productive ventures. The youth are the pulse of society – versatile, dynamic, and capable of shaping the future,” the Governor said.
He emphasised that the intervention was not a show of abundant State resources but a strategic investment in human capital designed to turn “societal liabilities into development assets.”
According to him, agriculture was deliberately chosen as the focus because of its pivotal role in food security and economic sustainability.
“We are poised to remove the negative character often associated with our young ones and transform them into veritable assets for development. The seed capital we are releasing today is only a test of your dexterity and commitment. Show us results, and we are ready to add more,” Governor Otu assured.
