Gov Otu is restoring Cross River State Lost Glory Says Hon Ekpang

Gov Otu is restoring Cross River State Lost Glory Says Hon Ekpang

By Raphael Ekpang

Abuja (basic reporter) “The administration of Senator Prince Otu, the executive governor of Cross River State, in the last two years has inherited a state of which he has been laughed and of which he spoke in a negative light. But today the story is different because we came to reconstruct the cross River State and return it, his Dr. Erash, was not for having lost what we have lost what we had the position of cross River. Ekpang during an interaction with the leadership of the cross River State Journalists Forum, (Crossjof) on Wednesday 18 June 2025 in Abuja.

The commissioner for the information of the Cross River State, Dr. Erasmus Ekpang underlined Senator Prince Bassey Otu focused on a recovery strategy aimed at restoring functionality, claiming lost goods and laying the foundations for sustainable development.

Ekpang observed that Cross River State was celebrated for its potential tourist and the beautiful natural environment, but in recent years it has undergone a visible decline, since the dilapidated infrastructures, the government projects blocked and the environmental degradation have contributed to a general perception of stagnation.

He said that the Governor Otu on how his counterparts elsewhere opted for a more strategic approach, focusing on completing and relaunching existing projects, in particular those who had consumed large sums of money from taxpayers but failed to provide foreseen returns.

According to him, one of the first moves was to recover state -owned assets such as Tinapa Business Resort, which had been detected by the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria, Amcon and by the Obudu cattle ranch, which according to what was reported had changed hand outside the public glow.

Also on the governor’s radar is the Porto del Mare project, a maritime hub by the way long remains largely on paper.

According to Ekpang, by revisiting these Legacy projects, the administration tries to exploit their economic potential and restore the cross river as a destination of investment.

“The governor is not in office to start again with abandoned dreams. It is here to count those past efforts,” said the commissioner.

The commitment of the OTU governor for continuity is perhaps more evident in his aggressive program of recovery of resources.

In a strategic move of recovery of the earth, Ekpang said that the government has negotiated the acquisition of a granting of land failed to a private company, claiming 18,000 hectares for potential agri -food investments. The same land has now been rented to PCR Plantation Ltd, a Wilmar’s ASSOCIATION, which uses over 5,000 cross Riverians.

The official lodges for the speaker and deputy governor are also recovered, a privatized time, now completely renewed and restored for the use of the government.

According to the commissioner, a milestone of the political thrust of the administration is agriculture. Recognizing the vast seminative land of the state and the urgent need for economic diversification, the government has launched a global soil mapping project to evaluate the fertility and suitability of the crops of different regions throughout the state.

It has observed that the initiative is designed to increase food production, promote agri -food agro and reduce dependence on federal allocations, adding that the final goal is not only to food enough, but an agriculture oriented to the export that can earn revenues and create jobs.

The administration is also working to provide raw materials for agro-elaborations, such as the cocoa processing structure in Ikom established by a previous administration. By connecting agricultural production to industrial use, the government aims to activate value chains that can strengthen rural economies and reduce poverty.

While noting that agriculture remains fundamental for the administration’s economic agenda, he said that with the completion of a soil mapping exercise to guide the cultivation of crops and the expansion of existing transformation plants such as the cocoa factory in Ikom, Cross River aims at food self -sufficiency and the holidays of exports.

The revenues generated internally, IGR, have improved considerably, growing from n20 billion in 2022 to over N40 billion in 2024, following losses of losses, automating payment systems and promote the trust of taxpayers. The state is also collaborating with Afreximbank to finance the Deep Seaport project, with a 3.5 billion dollar structure on the horizon.

Ekpang said that another main objective of the governor was on the improvement of the physical state of government institutions. Government buildings, including ministries and the governor’s office, have undergone a substantial renewal. Until recently, Governor Otu operated from a temporary office for almost two years while the official government house was renewed.

“Today, the governor occupies a renewed and fully functional office designed to meet the administrative and ceremonial needs of the maximum leadership of the state.

“It was not just a question of convenience; it was a question of restoring dignity to governance. A suitable governor office sends a strong message on the gravity of leadership,” said Ekpang.

He said further in contrast with the political brand with a high postal content, the OTU administration has peacefully pursued its objectives. There have been advisory forums such as round economic and political tables to involve the interested parties and attract investors.

The government is also pushing the internal reforms to align the ministries and agencies with its wider objectives of responsibility, provision of service and long -term planning.

Although it is too early to completely evaluate the long -term impact of these interventions, but the signs of political consistency, recovery of activities and administrative reorganization are seen as positive indicators.

On the health supply, Ekpang said that two new oxygen systems have been set up in the general hospitals, while over 100 primary health centers are in the restructuring phase throughout the state. In Ikom, a new general hospital is built from scratch.

Recognizing the challenges of the land in reaching the remote communities, the state has introduced the technology of drones for the delivery of drugs. In addition, the government has updated nursing schools to iTigidi and Ogoja and took 65 doctors and 135 nurses to increase the capacity.

A key partnership with an international organization has equipped health centers with laptops and digital tools for an efficient data collection and management, reporting a transition to a health system more integrated by technology.

The aviation sector has not been left behind by the governor, since the Etu administration is facing the secular challenge of flight cancellations and a poor air connectivity to Calabar, also continuing the work on Obudu freight airport, increasing the completion rate from 60 % to almost 80 %. The track has been extended and the asphalt is underway.

While the larger aircraft under the Cali Air brand have struggled to justify the operations due to the low traffic volume, said: “The state is purchasing four smaller CRJ-900 aircraft, two have already been acquired, to improve the efficiency and generation of revenue. The regulatory approval and documentation process is in progress”.

“This recalibrated aeronautical plan completes the renovation works in progress at the German hospital in Obudu and the largest effort to revive the obsudu cattle ranch such as tourist and economic hub.

Ekpang explained that under the guidance of military and retired police experts, Cross River security architecture has been overhauled. The drones are lined up to monitor the hotspots, with consequent recovery of weapons and arrests of criminal gangs in previously non -secure areas such as Biase and Akamkpa.

The government has invested in 100 new safety vehicles in the context of the “Operation No Flaw” initiative, enhancing joint forces throughout the state.

The education sector, according to the state commissioner of information, has seen a huge renewal of primary schools under the Suub, the automation of the students’ results and the payment of Waec taxes for students all aimed at increasing access and transparency. State digital imprint is growing, with tax payments and other increasingly available government services online.

The rapid wage payments of the government, the increase in six -month maternity leave and the digital integration of civil service functions reflect an effort to modernize public service and encourage trust in governance.

He said that the pensions, which has been waiting for some time since 2014, are eliminated in lots with an approval of N10 billion by the governor. Inclosted workers now receive prolonged leave, while staff well -being has been a priority. Despite Lean Federal’s allocations, the government was among the first to pay the new minimum wage N70,000 starting from December 2024.

On Carnival and Tourism Empang said: “Governor Otu has revived the characteristic tourism brand of the State, Carnival Calabar, the largest African road party. With early planning, the route updates and the incentives of hospitality, including N20 million subsidies to hotels for renovation works, the 2025 edition is set to increase the local economy and the visibility of the local economy and the visibility of the local economy and the visibility of the local economy Tourism. “

Ekpang has also announced that the mountain breed and other cultural events are restored as part of a wider effort to reposition the state as a global destination.

On roads and electricity, he noticed that the renewal of the infrastructures is underway, with over 60 kilometers of completed roads and another 120 km under construction through Calabar South, Boki and other LGA. Cement roads, erosion control in yellow duke, solar road lighting and new transformers are part of the effort to restore infrastructure in neglected communities.

One of the most surprising characteristics of the OTU administration is its emphasis on continuity. Unlike past transitions marked by abandoned projects, the governor Otu has chosen to complete what has been started, respecting the investments made and hopes related to them.