From Okwe Obi, Abuja
Cross River State Commissioner for Information Dr Erasmus Ekpang has claimed that Governor Bassey Otu’s administration is restoring the lost glory of the state through his lofty initiatives.
Ekpang, who stated this during a press briefing with members of the Cross River State Journalists Forum (CROSSJOF) in Abuja, said the administration inherited a state that was sarcastically laughed at, mocked, and talked about in negative narratives.
“But today the story is different because we came to rebuild Cross River State and return it to its former glory, the cleanest state in Nigeria, a cultural paradise, the most secure, serene, and peaceful. It is not about discarding the past, but recovering what was lost and strengthening what we have,” he stated.
He further underscored Otu’s focus on a recovery strategy aimed at restoring functionality, reclaiming lost assets, and laying the groundwork for sustainable development.
Ekpang noted that Cross River State was celebrated for its tourism potential and beautiful natural environment, but in recent years suffered visible decline, with crumbling infrastructure, stalled government projects, and environmental degradation contributing to a general perception of stagnation.
According to him, Otu, unlike his counterparts elsewhere, had opted for continuity in governance with a more strategic approach, focusing on completing and reviving existing projects, particularly those that had consumed large sums of taxpayers’ money but failed to deliver expected returns.
He said, “One of the first moves was to recover state-owned assets such as Tinapa Business Resort, which had been taken over by the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON), and the Obudu Cattle Ranch, which had reportedly changed hands outside the public glare.
“Also on the Governor’s radar is the Deep Sea Port project, a long-proposed maritime hub that remains largely on paper.”
The commissioner said by revisiting these legacy projects, the administration seeks to harness their economic potential and re-establish Cross River as an investment destination.
“The governor is not in office to start afresh with abandoned dreams. He’s here to make those past efforts count,” he said.
“Governor Otu’s commitment to continuity is perhaps most evident in his aggressive asset recovery programme,” he added.
In a strategic land recovery move, Ekpang said the government negotiated the buyout of a failed land concession to a private firm, reclaiming 18,000 hectares for potential agribusiness investment.
He added that the same land has now been leased to PRC Plantation Limited, a subsidiary of Wilmar, which employs over 5,000 Cross Riverians.
Dr Ekpang informed that more recoveries were made by taking over the official lodges of the Speaker and Deputy Governor, once privatised, now fully renovated and reinstated for government use.
The Information Commissioner added that the cornerstone of the present administration’s policy thrust is agriculture: “Recognising the state’s vast arable land and the urgent need for economic diversification, the government launched a comprehensive soil mapping project to assess the fertility and crop suitability of different types across the state,” he stated.
Ekpang noted that the initiative is designed to boost food production, promote agribusiness, and reduce dependency on federal allocations, adding that the ultimate goal is not just food sufficiency but export-oriented agriculture that can earn revenue and create jobs.
“The administration is also working to provide raw materials for agro-processing plants, such as the cocoa processing facility in Ikom established by a previous administration.
“By connecting agricultural output to industrial use, the government aims to activate value chains that can strengthen rural economies and reduce poverty.”
While noting that agriculture remains central to the administration’s economic agenda, he said with the completion of a soil mapping exercise to guide crop cultivation and expansion of existing processing plants like the cocoa factory in Ikom, Cross River is aiming for food self-sufficiency and export viability.
“Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) has significantly improved, growing from N20 billion in 2022 to over N40 billion in 2024, a result of plugging leakages, automating payment systems, and fostering taxpayer confidence.
“The state is also partnering with Afreximbank to finance the Deep Seaport project, with a $3.5 billion facility on the horizon,” he said.