The Cross River State Government has flagged off a CPD-accredited oil and gas professional training programme for 2,000 youths, as part of efforts to equip young people with industry-relevant skills and expand their access to economic opportunities.
The programme, themed “Skill Up in the Season of Sweetness (SUSOS),” was officially launched in Calabar on Thursday, September 24, 2026, with stakeholders describing the initiative as an investment in human capital development and youth empowerment.
Governor Senator Prince Bassey Edet Otu, represented at the event by the Speaker of the Cross River State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Elvert Ayambem, said the programme reflected his administration’s commitment to placing youth empowerment, development and prosperity at the centre of its People First agenda.
According to the Governor, the initiative provides an opportunity for 2,000 young Cross Riverians to undergo structured training and obtain professional certification relevant to the oil and gas sector.
Governor Otu: Training Must Translate Into Economic Value
Representing Governor Otu, Speaker Elvert Ayambem said the oil and gas industry offers opportunities beyond crude oil exploration and production.
He identified areas such as engineering, logistics, safety, environmental management, procurement, maintenance and data services as fields where properly trained young people could build careers.
The Governor said the responsibility of government was to ensure that young Cross Riverians acquire the knowledge, technical competence and professional credentials required to compete for opportunities in the industry.
He urged the beneficiaries to approach the training with discipline and seriousness, stressing that a certificate should not be seen as the end of the journey but as a foundation for continuous professional development, entrepreneurship, innovation and meaningful participation in the economy.
“We are building a State in which talent is recognised, skills are rewarded and young people are equipped to become employers, professionals and contributors to sustainable development,” the Governor said.
Governor Otu also commended the organisers and partners for their commitment to youth empowerment and encouraged the beneficiaries to convert the knowledge acquired into competence, confidence and economic value.
Ukpong Umoh: Training Goes Beyond Certificates
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Oil and Gas, Ukpong Umoh, said the programme was designed to provide participants with practical knowledge and professional competencies rather than merely certificates.
Umoh noted that the oil and gas sector encompasses several areas, including engineering, fabrication, logistics, marine services, environmental management, health and safety, technology and maintenance.
He therefore urged the participants to take the training seriously, ask questions, learn from their instructors and familiarise themselves with industry standards.
According to him, the objective is to prepare young people to become valuable contributors to the economy while encouraging them to look beyond conventional employment.
“We want to see entrepreneurs emerge from this programme. We want to see service providers. We want to see innovators. We want to see young people creating jobs, not only looking for jobs,” Umoh said.
He encouraged the beneficiaries to consider what they could learn, build, create and solve through the opportunity provided by the programme.
Umoh also described the initiative as part of the administration’s broader commitment to youth empowerment, skills acquisition, economic inclusion and human capital development.
“True empowerment is not simply putting money in someone’s hand. True empowerment is putting knowledge in someone’s hand, skills in someone’s hand, confidence in someone’s heart and opportunity within their reach,” he said.
He challenged the beneficiaries to maximise the opportunity, stressing that skills could open doors, character could sustain opportunities, excellence could distinguish them, and determination could take them further.
Research Gateway Director Explains Rationale for Programme
The Director of Research Gateway Institute of Professional Studies, Rev. Dr. ThankGod Arong Onda, said the programme was conceived to prepare Cross River youths for emerging opportunities in the labour market.
Arong said the initiative was based on the understanding that young people needed additional professional qualifications and industry-specific competencies to remain competitive in an increasingly sophisticated labour market.
He cited the need to prepare Cross River youths to participate meaningfully in the state’s economic development, particularly in relation to opportunities in the oil and gas sector.
According to him, Research Gateway Institute engaged the Office of the Special Adviser on Oil and Gas after conducting research and identifying areas where additional professional training could support the state’s human capital development efforts.
He quoted leadership speaker Les Brown as saying that it was better to be prepared for an opportunity and not have one than to have an opportunity and not be prepared.
Arong commended the Special Adviser on Oil and Gas for responding to the proposal and working through the relevant government structures to facilitate the programme.
₦500,000 Training Value Per Beneficiary
Arong further disclosed that each beneficiary was receiving a training opportunity which he valued at ₦500,000, describing the programme as significantly different from conventional short-term empowerment schemes.
He said the government had provided the funding to enable 2,000 youths participate in the professional training.
At ₦500,000 per beneficiary, the stated value of the training for 2,000 participants amounts to ₦1 billion.
However, Arong’s remarks also referenced a ₦700 million government commitment to the project. The exact structure of the funding and whether the ₦700 million represents the government’s cash expenditure, negotiated training cost or another component of the programme was not fully clarified in the speech.
The programme is expected to extend beyond the Calabar flag-off, with further training activities planned across different parts of Cross River State.
Arong said participants would be trained and prepared for professional roles within the oil and gas industry, with graduation expected to feature beneficiaries wearing protective equipment according to their respective areas of training.
Dunamis Archibong Commends Youth Empowerment Initiative
The Senior Special Assistant in the Office of the Chief of Staff to the Governor on Political Affairs, Dunamis Archibong, also commended the programme as an investment in youth development and economic inclusion.
Speaking during a press briefing on Thursday, Archibong urged the beneficiaries to take the training seriously and apply the skills acquired towards building sustainable careers and businesses.
He also called for transparency and inclusiveness in empowerment programmes, stressing the importance of ensuring that opportunities reach genuine beneficiaries.
Programme Targets Industry-Ready Youths
The speakers at the flag-off agreed that the training should serve as more than a certification exercise.
The beneficiaries were encouraged to develop practical competencies, understand industry standards, build professional networks and position themselves for opportunities across the oil and gas value chain.
The initiative is expected to focus on preparing Cross River youths to participate in professional and entrepreneurial opportunities while contributing to the state’s broader human capital development agenda.
The organisers said the programme would ultimately seek to produce young people capable of applying their skills in the workplace, establishing businesses and contributing to job creation and economic development.
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