The Cross River State Government has highlighted what it described as tangible gains in security, infrastructure development, workers’ welfare and pension administration, reaffirming its commitment to sustainable development.
The Deputy Governor, Dr Peter Odey, made this known when he received a delegation of the Creative, Entertainment and Events Community (CEEC) at the Government House in Calabar, the state capital.
Odey said the administration of Governor Bassey Edet Otu remained focused on governance and would allow its record in office to speak for itself rather than be distracted by political criticism.
“The administration is too solid to be distracted. We would rather allow our record in office to speak for itself than be drawn into unnecessary political distractions,” he said.»
According to him, the government inherited a state requiring deliberate restoration and had since embarked on the renovation, remodelling and rehabilitation of critical public infrastructure, while also initiating new projects aimed at supporting sustainable growth.
He said interventions across the three senatorial districts had helped to strengthen public confidence in the administration.
Odey identified improved security as one of the government’s major achievements, saying relative peace and stability had created a more favourable environment for businesses and private investment.
He cited Akpabuyo, where a private university operates, as an example of an area benefiting from the improved security environment.
On workers’ welfare, the deputy governor said Cross River was among the first states to implement the ₦70,000 national minimum wage, with payments commencing in December 2024.
“Government will continue to honour its obligations to workers and retirees,” Odey said, adding that pension payments remained a priority and that no pensioner was currently owed in the state.
He urged residents, members of the creative community and political stakeholders to look beyond partisan interests and support efforts to develop the state.
Earlier, the spokesperson for CEEC, Mr Ejor Ndifon, commended the administration for what he described as improvements in the socio-economic well-being of residents through infrastructure renewal and increased support for the creative industry.
Ndifon said the government’s efforts to create opportunities for young people in the creative sector were helping to position Cross River as a destination for talent, entertainment and creative enterprise.
He said sustained government support would enable more young people to turn their talents into sustainable livelihoods.
Ndifon also announced that the group would organise a Creative Youth Mega Walk as part of activities to launch a platform designed to bring together young people within Cross River’s creative and entertainment ecosystem.
