Youths now development partners in Cross River – Youth Commissioner

From Aniekan Aniekan, Calabar

The Cross River State Government has declared that young people will no longer be treated as mere beneficiaries of government programmes, but as active partners in development and governance.

The Commissioner for Youth Development and Skills Acquisition Ijom Ukam, made the declaration at the NUJ Press Centre during a World Press Conference to mark the 2026 International Youth Day in Calabar.

Ukam said the shift aligns with the state’s locally adapted theme: “Different Contexts, Common Aspirations: Advancing the People-First Agenda through Sustainable Youth Development.”

“Our contexts may be different. But across these contexts, our young people share common aspirations. They want opportunities, decent employment, skills, and to participate meaningfully in governance.

“Young people are partners in development so youth development must move beyond the traditional approach of organizing occasional empowerment programmes to establishing sustainable systems through which young people can acquire skills, access opportunities, participate in governance and contribute to the economic and social development of the State”, he said.

To drive the new approach, Ukam announced two key interventions: the Skills in the Hands’ Programme to equip youth with practical, marketable skills, and a paid internship scheme to bridge the experience gap for graduates.

He also cited the state’s partnership with the United Nations Nigerian Jubilee Fellowship Programme as a pathway for structured work experience.

The Commissioner called on the private sector and development partners to invest in youth-led enterprises, internships and apprenticeships.

“Government cannot do it alone. Investing in young people is not charity. It is economic and social investment,” Ukam stated.