Ukorebi Esien | August 23, 2025
CALABAR- The Chairman of the Cross River State Anti-Illegal Mining Committee and Taskforce, Hon. Prince Paul Effiong, has urged the government at all levels to design deliberate policies and programmes that provide meaningful opportunities for reformed youths who have abandoned crime.
Hon. Effiong made this appeal during a thanksgiving service at Prayer for All Nations (Prayer City), Calabar, held to mark his 40th birthday and to celebrate the transformation of members of the United Strong Organization Incorporated, a youth coalition he leads.
According to him, hundreds of young people who were once involved in cultism, crime, and other social vices have renounced such lifestyles and are now dedicated to peacebuilding and community service under the platform of United Strong Organization.
"These were once rugged men feared in society, but today they are soldiers for Christ. Government must not neglect them. When reformed youths are given opportunities — through skills acquisition, jobs, and empowerment they will remain on the right path and become agents of positive change," Effiong stressed.
He further noted that the absence of economic opportunities often forces young people back into crime, stressing that investment in youth empowerment is not just social welfare but a strategic approach to sustaining peace and security in the state.
While commending Governor Bassey Edet Otu for fostering a climate of peace and inclusion, Effiong appealed for more government-backed programmes that can absorb reformed youths into mainstream society.
In his message, Rev. Theodore Effiong praised the transformation witnessed among members of the organization, saying their journey from "bad boys to soldiers for Christ" should serve as a model for other communities dealing with youth restiveness.
The thanksgiving event also renewed calls on policymakers, civil society, and faith leaders to work together in creating rehabilitation and reintegration opportunities for ex-cultists and reformed offenders.
0 comments: