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Cross River State Governor, Bassey Otu, has signed laws to clamp down on medical quackery and strengthen social protection for vulnerable residents, while raising the state’s 2026 budget to N963.07 billion.
The governor assented to the Cross River State Social Investment and Protection Law, Health Quackery (Prohibition) Law and 2026 Supplementary Appropriation Law at the Governor’s Office in Calabar.
The supplementary appropriation increased the 2026 budget by N1.45 billion, from N961.62 billion to N963.07 billion.
The revised budget figure is consistent with the earlier approval by the Cross River State House of Assembly, which raised the fiscal plan by approximately N1.45 billion.
Otu said the laws would strengthen institutional frameworks for protecting vulnerable residents, shield citizens from unqualified healthcare practitioners and enable government to direct resources to areas of greatest need.
Speaking after signing the bills, the governor said government policies and programmes must continually respond to changing circumstances.
“We cannot continue to do things exactly the same way when circumstances have changed. Government must be dynamic enough to adjust, review and reposition its policies and programmes to meet the realities of the time,” he said.
The Social Investment and Protection Law establishes the Cross River State Social Investment and Protection Agency and provides for its governing board, staff and finances.
It is expected to provide a coordinated framework for administering social investment and protection programmes targeted at poor and vulnerable residents.
“Our responsibility as a government is to ensure that nobody is left behind. This law gives us a stronger institutional framework to reach the poor, the vulnerable and those who genuinely require social protection and empowerment,” Otu said.
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The Health Quackery (Prohibition) Law seeks to eliminate unlicensed medical practice and strengthen regulation of healthcare facilities and practitioners across the state.
It establishes a Health Monitoring Task Force, provides for registration and monitoring of practitioners and strengthens collaboration with law enforcement agencies in tackling quackery.
Otu said the government would not compromise the health and safety of residents by allowing unqualified persons to provide professional healthcare services.
“Anyone who holds himself or herself out as a healthcare professional must be properly qualified, registered and competent to provide such services,” he said.
Speaker of the Cross River State House of Assembly, Elvert Ayambem, said the supplementary appropriation was presented by the governor on July 21 to amend the principal budget and accommodate needs not envisaged when it was passed.
Ayambem put the revised budget at N963,074,438,018.60, up from N961,624,047,275.08. Recent reporting on the signing gives the same figures and identifies the same three laws.
“This supplementary appropriation is designed to address developments and needs that were not envisaged at the time the principal appropriation law was enacted,” he said.
The Speaker said the law would enable the government to move funds from dormant budget lines to critical areas and accommodate additional revenue arising from increased allocations from the Federation Account.
“Where funds are lying dormant and there are critical areas requiring intervention, government must have the flexibility to make the necessary adjustments,” Ayambem said.
