Gov Otu disburses N800m grants to youths, farmers in Cross River 

From Ene Asuquo, Calabar 

The Cross River State Governor, prince Bassey Edet Otu has empowered 400 youths,  comprising of farmers and former members of the defunct Bakassi Defence Force, with grants worth ₦800 million to support their reintegration and entrepreneurial growth through agriculture and other ventures.

The farmers who were trained  intensively on  innovative and Integrated Agricultural Value Chain at CSS Farms in Nasarawa State got ₦2 million each as seed capital to establish and scale their businesses.

The empowerment program is part of the state’s broader “People First” agenda, targeted at wealth creation, employment generation, and the promotion of food sufficiency before the end of the current administration.

Governor Otu in his address during the event in Calabar said the initiative was designed to redirect the energy of the youth from destructive activities to productive ventures, stressing that no society thrives when its most vibrant demographic is left unguided.

His words; “Today’s empowerment program is primarily targeted at redirecting the strength and energy of our youths from destructive to productive ventures. 

The youth as a critical demographic set is the pulse of the society, as they are as versatile as they are volatile.”

He explained that the gesture was not an exhibition of abundant state resources but a strategic investment in human capital aimed at transforming societal liabilities into development assets. 

He maintained that agriculture was deliberately chosen as the preferred sector, given its cascading benefits and critical role in food security.

“We are poised to remove the character of our young ones and transform them from being societal liabilities to veritable development assets.

 The seed capital we are giving out today is to test your dexterity and commitment. Once we see what you have done with this, we are ready to add another,” Otu stated. 

He further assured the former agitators that they were not stigmatized, but rather welcomed as integral contributors to the state’s development, noting that empowerment had always been his guiding principle since his days in the National Assembly.

In his remarks, the Commissioner for Wealth Creation and Employment, Hon. Patrick Egbede, described the event as a milestone in the state’s drive to promote economic development and create jobs.

“It is my great pleasure to celebrate the graduation of 400 Cross River State citizens—200 farmers and another 200 repentant agitators—from the intensive training at CSS Farms. 

“The skills and knowledge acquired will enable them to make meaningful impact in their communities and contribute to state economic growth,” Egbede stated.