Over the last eight years, Cross River State witnessed an avalanche of appointments under Ayade's administration, an initiative famously christened "Food on the Table." This program enrolled hundreds of youths onto the state's payroll, providing them with salaries for the duration of the administration. Upon assuming office, Sen. Bassey Otu introduced a more sustainable and enduring initiative, the "Skills-in-the-Hands," aimed at empowering young Cross Riverians to create wealth and achieve financial independence, elevating individuals to heights they never thought possible. In a country where unemployment rates have reached unprecedented levels, leaving millions of graduates in uncertainty and susceptible to various crimes, including fraud, kidnapping and other serious offenses, the importance of empowering youths with skills and setting them up cannot be overstated. Equipping them for financial independence paves the way for economic freedom for countless ...