Farmers, Youth receive over N800M empowerment fund in C’River – Reports

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The Cross River State Government has disbursed ₦800 million in grants to 400 of its citizens, including farmers and former members of the disbanded Bakassi Defence Force, to support reintegration and business growth through agriculture and other ventures.

The beneficiaries, each receiving N2 million as seed capital, had earlier undergone an intensive training program on Innovative and Integrated Agricultural Value Chain at CSS Farms in Nasarawa State. The initiative forms part of the state’s “People First” agenda, which aims to create jobs, stimulate wealth creation, and strengthen food security before the end of the current administration.

Governor Bassey Otu, speaking during the empowerment ceremony in Calabar, stressed that the initiative was designed to redirect young people from destructive activities toward productive ventures. He said, “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, are the pulse of the society, as they are as versatile as they are volatile.”

The governor added that the gesture was a deliberate investment in human capital rather than an exhibition of excess state resources. “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 former agitators that they remained vital contributors to development, not outcasts, emphasizing that empowerment had always been his guiding principle.

Commissioner for Wealth Creation and Employment, Patrick Egbede, described the graduation of the 400 beneficiaries as a turning point in the state’s economic development. He said, “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 further revealed that the administration had also trained 100 youths in ICT, especially in web development and programming, underscoring its broader commitment to youth empowerment. Monitoring committees, he added, had been established across senatorial districts to ensure accountability in the use of the grants, with prospects for additional funding for successful participants.

Two beneficiaries, Mrs. Mary Ekuri and Solomon Essien, expressed gratitude to Governor Otu’s administration for the support, pledging to deploy the grants toward self-development and wealth creation.

This initiative builds on earlier agricultural projects by the state. On July 10, 2025, the government launched the cultivation of 30 million coffee seedlings across the 18 Local Government Areas, a step Governor Otu described as transformative. “The project aligns with the administration’s ‘People First’ agenda and is aimed at empowering farmers, creating jobs, promoting sustainable livelihoods, and boosting agro-industrial development,” he said. He added, “With 30 million robust and climate-appropriate seedlings being distributed across our 18 Local Government Areas, this project offers much more than cultivation. It is about job creation, wealth generation, ecological restoration, and building an inclusive economy.

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