Ukorebi Esien | September 17, 2026
CALABAR — The National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), Cross River State Chapter, has called on the new leadership of the South-South Development Commission (SSDC) to make youth employment, skills development, entrepreneurship and sustainable livelihoods central to its agenda, following the appointment of Ms. Usoro Akpabio as Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Commission.
The council, under the leadership of its State Chairman, Comrade Emmanuel Olayi, expressed appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the appointment, describing it as an important opportunity to give young people a stronger stake in the development of the South-South region.
NYCN-CRS also congratulated Akpabio and the entire SSDC management team, describing their appointment as a fresh opportunity to translate the Commission’s mandate into tangible opportunities for young people across the six states of the region.
The council said youths should not be regarded merely as beneficiaries of development programmes, but as active participants in planning, implementation and monitoring.
It particularly urged the new management to prioritise sustainable employment, technical and digital skills, entrepreneurship financing, agribusiness, innovation and opportunities linked to projects supported by the Commission.
“On behalf of the youths of Cross River State, we sincerely appreciate Mr. President for this important appointment and for giving the South-South region a new leadership structure at a critical time.
“We congratulate Ms. Usoro Akpabio on this well-deserved appointment and wish her and the entire management team a powerful start. We believe that the success of the Commission must ultimately be measured by the opportunities it creates and the impact it makes in the lives of our people, particularly young people,” the council said.
NYCN-CRS said the appointment had generated expectations among young people across the region, particularly in the areas of job creation, human capital development and enterprise support.
According to the council, the South-South has a large population of young people with the capacity to contribute significantly to the region’s economic growth if provided with the right skills, opportunities and enabling environment.
The council therefore called for an early engagement between the new SSDC management and recognised youth representatives across the six states to establish a clear framework for youth participation in the Commission’s programmes.
It also urged the Commission to ensure that youth-focused interventions are transparent, inclusive and equitably distributed, with particular attention to young women, rural youths, persons with disabilities and other vulnerable groups.
NYCN-CRS further pledged the cooperation and partnership of Cross River youths to the new management, while expressing its readiness to contribute ideas and grassroots perspectives that could strengthen the Commission’s programmes.
The council said it looked forward to a new era in which young people would have greater access to opportunities to acquire skills, build businesses, secure decent work and contribute meaningfully to the development of their communities.
It described the appointment of Akpabio and the new management team as an opportunity for a “powerful start” and urged them to use the moment to establish a strong foundation for inclusive and sustainable development across the South-South.
“Congratulations once again to Ms. Usoro Akpabio and the entire management team. We wish you wisdom, courage and remarkable success in this important national assignment.
“May your tenure open new doors of opportunity for the young people of the South-South and mark a new chapter of purposeful, inclusive and sustainable development for our region.”
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