By Faith Edem
The Cross River State Government has reaffirmed its commitment to restoring the state’s lost glory through a focused agenda centered on asset recovery, infrastructure revitalization, and agricultural transformation.
This assurance was given by the Commissioner for Information, Dr. Erasmus Ekpang, during a recent media parley with members of the Cross River State Journalists Forum (CROSSJOF) in Abuja.
Dr. Ekpang stated that Governor Bassey Otu’s administration inherited a state that had become “sarcastically laughed at, mocked, and talked about in negative narratives,” but is now undergoing a remarkable transformation.
“Today, the story is different,” he said. “We came to rebuild Cross River State and return it to its former glory—Nigeria’s cleanest state, a cultural paradise, the most secure, serene, and peaceful. It’s not about discarding the past but recovering what was lost and strengthening what we have.”
According to the commissioner, Governor Otu’s comprehensive recovery strategy includes the revival of stalled projects, reclamation of state-owned assets, and the establishment of a foundation for sustainable development.
He recalled that while Cross River was once renowned for its tourism potential and natural beauty, recent years saw a visible decline marked by crumbling infrastructure, environmental degradation, and abandoned projects. Ekpang praised Governor Otu’s approach of governance continuity, describing it as a deliberate strategy to complete and revive capital-intensive projects that had failed to deliver returns in the past.
“This approach ensures that past investments begin to yield benefits for the state, rather than being written off as failed efforts,” he explained.
Among the first major actions of the administration, Ekpang noted, was the recovery of strategic public assets. These include the Tinapa Business Resort, previously taken over by the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON), and the Obudu Cattle Ranch, which had reportedly changed hands outside public scrutiny. Both are now being repositioned to serve the people of the state and stimulate economic growth.
Also high on the governor’s priority list is the long-envisioned Deep Sea Port project, which has remained on paper for years. Ekpang revealed that the state government is now in active collaboration with the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) to secure a $3.5 billion funding facility, a move expected to transform the state’s economic landscape.
The administration has also recorded significant progress in land recovery efforts. Dr. Ekpang disclosed that the state government successfully negotiated the buyback of 18,000 hectares of land from a failed private concession. The reclaimed land has now been leased to PRC Plantation Limited, a subsidiary of Wilmar, currently employing over 5,000 Cross Riverians in agricultural operations.
In line with this recovery, the administration has also repossessed and renovated previously privatized official residences of the Speaker and Deputy Governor, reinstating them for government use.
Dr. Ekpang emphasized that agriculture remains the cornerstone of the administration’s economic strategy. He explained that a state-wide soil mapping project has been launched to assess land fertility and guide strategic crop cultivation based on suitability.
“We are not only working towards food sufficiency,” he said, “but building a viable, export-oriented agricultural economy. We are also ensuring that raw materials feed local agro-processing industries, such as the cocoa processing factory in Ikom.”
This linkage between farm production and industrial use, he said, is key to activating value chains that empower rural communities, reduce poverty, and create jobs.
With the completion of the soil mapping exercise and expansion of processing facilities, Ekpang expressed confidence that Cross River is on course to become a national model for food security and agricultural export.
On the financial front, the commissioner announced a dramatic improvement in Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) — from ₦20 billion in 2022 to over ₦40 billion in 2024. He attributed this growth to fiscal discipline, automation of revenue systems, plugging of leakages, and renewed public confidence in governance.
Dr. Ekpang concluded by stating that Governor Otu is not in office to start from scratch, but to build on past foundations, complete long-abandoned dreams, and deliver tangible development.
“His commitment to continuity and sustainable progress is evident in every policy and project. Cross River is back on track, and the future looks bright,” he said.