By Frank Ulom
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) governorship candidate in Cross River State for the 2027 general elections, Ambassador Nkoyo Toyo, has described the reported suspension of corps members’ deployment to the state over the deplorable condition of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Orientation Camp in Obubra as a national embarrassment and an indictment of the state government.
Toyo, in a press statement issued on Thursday, October 15, 2026, said the reported development exposed the government’s failure to prioritise youth development and maintain public educational infrastructure.
The statement, signed by Archibong Eyo, spokesman to the ADC governorship candidate, criticised what it described as the decay and abandonment of educational facilities across the state.
According to the statement, the condition of the NYSC camp reflects a broader failure to establish a clear development agenda for young people in Cross River State.
“The reported suspension of corps members’ deployment to Cross River State over the deplorable condition of the NYSC Orientation Camp in Obubra is a national embarrassment and a damning indictment of the state government,” the statement said.
The ADC candidate argued that the camp could serve purposes beyond the NYSC orientation programme if properly maintained, including sports, vocational training and recreational activities for young people.
The statement also expressed concern over what it described as the absence of a comprehensive, youth-driven policy capable of supporting the development and advancement of young people in the state.
It maintained that education and educational facilities had suffered from neglect, arguing that the government had made insufficient efforts to expand the institutional infrastructure needed to improve educational opportunities.
The ADC said its approach to governance would place young people at the centre of development planning, with a comprehensive empowerment strategy aimed at building or rehabilitating facilities such as the NYSC Orientation Camp in Obubra.
It added that such facilities could be integrated into broader programmes designed to equip young people with relevant skills and provide opportunities for sports, training and recreation.
“An ADC government built on inclusivity will see and treat public infrastructure as an investment in our people and our future, not an afterthought,” the statement said.
The party maintained that sustained investment in public infrastructure and youth empowerment would be central to its development agenda if elected into office.
The statement was issued amid reports that corps members’ deployment to Cross River State had been suspended over concerns about the condition of the NYSC Orientation Camp in Obubra.
