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From Aniekan Aniekan, Calabar
Cross River State Governor, Bassey Otu, has returned to Calabar after a three-week annual leave, declaring that he was back with renewed vigour and a double dose of energy to accelerate the transformation of the state.
He returned with his wife, Bishop Eyoanwan Bassey Otu, to a rousing welcome by government officials, traditional leaders, residents and well-wishers. Addressing supporters and government officials, who besieged the Margaret Ekpo International Airport, Calabar, Governor Otu reaffirmed his commitment to delivering on his administration’s development blueprint, stating that the short break had recharged him for even greater service.
“I thank God for His grace, because the strength He has given me is immeasurable and unimaginable. We had a manifesto to deliver to our people, and to some extent, I believe that in this second year, we can already boast that some of those promises are coming to fruition.
“I truly missed each and every one of you, and I’ve come back with more strength and clarity of purpose.”
He revealed that part of his time away was spent on a critical state assignment, inspecting and conducting due diligence on two aircrafts acquired to ease the travel burden of air travellers in and out of Calabar. The process, he noted, was rigorous, involving over 200,000 pages of documentation and detailed physical inspections.
“We had to go through every bolt and screw. It was painstaking but necessary to ensure safety and accountability,” he explained.
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He disclosed that both aircrafts were in the final stages of clearance and were expected to arrive in the state within a few weeks.
The Governor further assured that the solid foundation his administration had laid was beginning to yield results. “We have planted the seeds. Now, we must nurture them to harvest,” he said.
He also highlighted the arrival of major federal projects in the state, including the special agro-industrial processing zone initiative and the long-anticipated flag-off of the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway. The Governor described these as historic milestones that will fully integrate Cross River into the national economic grid.
“Cross River has long been projected as a major evacuation corridor. We are finally stepping into our rightful place in Nigeria’s economic structure.”
He emphasised that his administration was strengthening agricultural value chains to boost exports, food production and economic inclusion.
He announced that the President of the African Development Bank and Nigeria’s vice president were scheduled to visit the state for the groundbreaking of a new export processing economic zone, a transformative project that would redefine Cross River’s economy and open up new frontiers for jobs and investment.
Reassuring the people of inclusiveness, he said: “There will be open doors for everyone to participate in this economic revival. The sky is the limit for Cross River.”
