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Tag: Barr Ijom Ukam

  • NYCN Election: The Right Thing Should Be Done – Stakeholders Insist

    NYCN Election: The Right Thing Should Be Done – Stakeholders Insist

     

    By Kelvin Obambon

    For the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) Cross River State chapter to effectively fulfill its core mandate of grooming future leaders, the processes for electing its own leadership must be devoid of illegalities.

    This was the position of stakeholders of the NYCN at an elaborate engagement with the Cross River State Commissioner for Youth Development, Barr Ijom Ukam, in Calabar on Tuesday.

    The stakeholders, comprising former NYCN state chairmen, executive committee members, central planning committee members, eleco members, amongst others, observed that in recent time elections into the Council were fraught with so much illegalities, lamenting that the practice had not augur well for the NYCN as a body saddled with the responsibility of leadership training and mentorship.

    They commended the Commissioner for the decision to bring everyone on board for the forthcoming election, saying it was a right step towards a credible and transparent electoral process. They affirmed that it was now time to right the wrongs upon which previous leadership of the Council rode to power by ensuring that the forthcoming election in the state conforms to the provisions of NYCN constitution.

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    The Commissioner for Youth Development, Barr Ijom Ukam, however assured the stakeholders that as a ministry with supervisory role over the NYCN, the election would be transparent, because according to him, no one would be left in the dark about the electoral process.

    While clarifying that there was no special interest in the youth council election, the Commissioner however stated that the ministry was deeply concerned about the negative press generated recently by activities of the NYCN with regards to the forthcoming poll.

    Barr. Ukam thanked the stakeholders for finding time to attend the meeting, stating that their contributions would guide the ministry to come up with a template for the effective conduct of the election. He also suggested regular interface between the ministry and the stakeholders, emphasizing that no one would be allowed to interfere in the affairs of the NYCN, even as he stressed the need for everyone to be on the same page.

    Meanwhile, a member of the Cross River State House of Assembly Committee on Youth Development, Hon. Omang Charles, who attended the meeting, said a five-man committee would be set up to thoroughly look at the NYCN constitution in order to set things right.

    On his part, the Special Adviser to the Governor on General Duty, Barr. Ekpenyong Akiba, in his remarks, said that it was the responsibility of the stakeholders to decide on the kind of leadership that would work for the good of NYCN and the state at large.

    “We owe ourselves and the younger generation a duty to fine tune the process. I want us to have for the first time an election that will be shown on the television”, he said.

  • Otu tasks newly sworn-in corps members on laudable community projects

    Otu tasks newly sworn-in corps members on laudable community projects

    By Christian Njoku

    Gov. Bassey Otu of Cross River has tasked newly sworn-in National Youth Service Corps members in the state on laudable community development projects that would stand them out in their service year.

    Otu, made the call on Tuesday at the  NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp in Obubura during the swearing-in ceremony of the 2024 Batch ‘A’ Stream II prospective corps members deployed to Cross River.

    Represented by Mr Odum Ukam, Commissioner for Youth Development, the governor assured the corps members of his commitment to ensure a conducive environment is created for them.

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    According to him, “your swearing-in and oath taking marks the beginning of one year mandatory service to the nation.

    “You are expected to use the period to contribute to the socio-economic development of the communities you will be posted to serve and the state in general.

    “Therefore, I charge you to carry out laudable community development projects which would stand you out at end of your service period,” he maintained.

    He further advised the Corps Members to use the period to make personal sacrifices that will prepare them for the challenges of nation building.

    In his opening address,  Mr Andrew Zemoh, the NYSC Coordinator for Cross River congratulated the corps members for the success they recorded at their various institutions of higher learning which qualified them to be mobilized for the one year mandatory national service.

    Zemoh said that the three weeks Orientation Course was structured to prepare them for the task ahead, adding that they would be exposed to drills, and agility manoeuvres.

    He said there would also be leadership training, lectures on security and teaching assignments, including Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) training Program.

    According to him, the programmes are aimed at preparing them both physically and mentally for post orientation life in their various places of Primary Assignments.

    He thanked the Government of Cross River for the various timely interventions carried out in the camp especially the recent ones at the multiple purpose Hall and the collapsed part of the perimeter fence.

    He however appealed to the Governor for renovation of the hostels to make the camp conducive for optimal use, and also provide another borehole to effectively address the current water challenges in the camp.

    (NAN)

  • Cross River is Open to More Collaborations, Commissioner Tells Sports Potential Nigeria

    Cross River is Open to More Collaborations, Commissioner Tells Sports Potential Nigeria

    By Kelvin Obambon

    Cross River Commissioner for Sports Development, Hon. Agnes Atsu, says the state is open to more collaborations and partnerships that will lead to the development of sports and other related activities.

    She stated this on Tuesday 26 March, 2024 when she received officials of Sports Potential Nigeria who were in her office in Calabar to seek collaboration and endorsement for their upcoming sporting event that would boost grassroot sports development in the state.

    The Commissioner told the team from Sports Potential Nigeria, a sports consultancy outfit, that Cross River is ready to collaborate and partner with investors and stakeholders who desire to come into the state to develop the sector, assuring them of a conducive environment.

    She thanked the Commissioner for Youth Development, Barr. Ijom Ukam, for the synergy between the two ministries, noting that the collaboration between the Ministry of Sports Development and Sports Potential Nigeria was made possible by Barr. Ukam.

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    “I want to thank the Honourable Commissioner for Youth Development for deeming it fit to involve the Ministry of Sports Development. This collaboration would have come and ended there if there was no synergy between the two ministries. For him to bring you people to meet and collaborate with the ministry of sports development is a good thing. I want to assure you that we will give it the due consideration it requires,” she said.

    Meanwhile, the Commissioner for Youth Development, Barr. Ijom Ukam, who led the team to the sports development ministry, said the consultants would be given all the necessary assistance and encouragement to make sure that the programmes they are bringing to Cross River State see the light of the day.

    On his part, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Sports Development, Mr Ekanem Ekpenyong, appreciated Sports Potential Nigeria for coming to Cross River, stating that grassroot sports development is critical as the state has abundant of talents waiting to be discovered.

    He said the arrival of the outfit in the state was timely, because according to him, the Ministry of Sports Development ably led by the Honourable Commissioner, is poised to discover and groom talents rather than buying ready-made athletes from outside.

    Speaking on the purpose of the visit, Barr. Samson Nwokenye, Director of Sports Potential Nigeria, said as a global sports networking organization, Sports Potential Nigeria’s interest is in grassroot sports development.

    “In Nigeria we have a grassroot sports initiative where we organize events, give free materials and get our international partners to scout for talents in collaboration with corporate bodies to make commitment towards giving them global opportunities. There are other features. We have the community project. Community projects are aimed at solving problems in the society.

    “For this calendar year we have come to Cross River State to unveil our package for grassroot sports development. It basically entails collaborating with relevant government agencies. Government is the pillar of sports. Government is the regulatory agency. We have collaboration with the Spanish La liga, Italian Serie A and corporate bodies such as Zenith Bank and DSTV,” he said.

    He further stated that under the collaboration, Cross River State government would endorse the grassroot sports development initiative and also provide venue for the events, while DSTV would do the live coverage, and Zenith Bank would provide the sponsorship for the scouted players to build their career in Serie A and La Liga academies in Europe.

    Nwokenye also explained that the competition is exclusively for players in the amateur teams from tertiary institutions, secondary schools, both public and private, and that players must be 23 years and below. He added that a total of 32 teams are expected to participate while Cross River, the host state, would be given leverage to field in 12 teams.

    He concluded by promising that Sports Potential Nigeria on the long run would look into renovating the hostel facility at the U.J. Esuene Stadium Calabar, or whichever project the state would want the outfit to execute under its community project.

    In a remark, the 1st Vice Chairman of Cross River State Football Association, Mr Greg Abang, thanked the delegation from Sports Potential Nigeria for choosing the state for its grassroot sports development initiative, stating that the programme would give “our youths hope of playing in international football.”

    He assured them that the FA would give them all the cooperation and support they need to make the event a success.

    In attendance at the meeting were the state director of sports, management staff of the ministry of sports development, members of the Cross River FA, club owners, among others.

    The competition will officially be unveiled in May, 2024.

  • Commissioner for Youth Development motivates staff with incentive

    Commissioner for Youth Development motivates staff with incentive

    …Doles out cash prize at 7th Edition of  “Pick Your Sweet Yes”

    Mrs Orok, Bassey Effiom, an Assistant Director in the Youth Development Department, on Friday 6th October 2023, smiled home with the sum of ten thousand naira (N10,000), being the cash prize for the 7th edition of the “Pick Your Sweet Yes”, an incentive introduced by the Honourable Commissioner for Youth Development, Barr Ijom Ukam, to motivate the workforce in the ministry.

    “Pick Your Sweet Yes” is a weekend event that holds every Friday at the Ministry of Youth Development, where sweets of different tastes are shared among the staff members of the ministry and visitors.

    The initiative symbolizes the mantra of sweetness that the Prince Bassey Otu-led administration looks to herald into Cross River. “Pick Your Sweet Yes” requires staff members to pick from a poll of raffle tickets, and whoever picks the “YES” ticket goes home with the sum of ten thousand naira (N10,000) to sweeten his or her weekend.

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    The gesture, according to the Honourable Commissioner, Barr Ijom Ukam, is aimed at motivating the staff into aligning with His Excellency’s quest and vision for a “People’s First” government.

    Friday’s edition was symbolic as Mrs Orok Bassey Effiom who will be retiring soon from a very meritorious service to the state emerged the winner.

    Mrs. Effiom, who was filled with excitement, thanked God Almighty for making it possible for her to grab the coveted prize, noting that the prize is a symbol of all-round fulfillment in the course of her service to the state. She prayed for grace upon the Commissioner to sustain the kind and noble gesture in the ministry.

    The Chairman of Online Media Practitioners Association of Nigeria, OMPAN, Mr Efio-Ita Nyok and some members of the association witnessed the event that took place at the Old Secretariat Complex, Calabar.