By Biola Lawal
Flowerbudnews: A beam of hope has opened for youths in Cross River state following Gov. Bassey Otu’s announcement of a lift of the ban on employment into the state civil service during the state’s Executive Council meeting on Wednesday.
During the meeting, the Executive Council (Exco) also approved a series of major interventions in key areas of development, including education, health, infrastructure, security for mining communities, and a draft bill for a state-owned social investment program agency.
The Executive Council meeting, which lasted until late evening on Wednesday and was presided over by the Governor, Senator Prince Bassey Otu, also witnessed the governor announcing the lifting of the embargo on employment in the state civil service.
This was disclosed in a statement by Nsa Gill, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, a copy of which was made available to Flowerbudnews.
Addressing the Exco, the governor noted that critical challenges are faced by the state and its citizens that necessitate major interventions in the state civil service, education, health, infrastructure, and human empowerment, without taking away the attention already given to agriculture and tourism.
In that regard, he disclosed that he has approved fresh employment into the state civil service following numerous retirements in recent years of workers who have served for 35 years or reached the sixty-year benchmark in service.
The governor disclosed that up to 2,000 new employees are expected in the state civil service but warned heads of departments and those who will be saddled with the assignment to employ into the service must ensure equity, spread, and fair representation of all the 18 local government areas in the state. “It must also be done according to needs and should reflect equity and fairness,” he said.
He further disclosed that his administration had recently secured funding for the commencement of a railway link between the southern and northern reaches of the state to facilitate the easy movement of agricultural products that abound in the state. Specifically, the railway will link the Bakassi local government area in the southern flank of the state to the Ogoja/Obudu/Bakwarra local government areas in the northern district of the state.
He emphasized his commitment to putting in place a system that will ensure a revolutionary infrastructure renewal in at least 1,000 schools across the state. “I expect a complete turnaround of our primary and secondary schools, not only in terms of the construction and renovation of classroom blocks and furnishing but also in the quality of their products.”
The governor acknowledged the improved attitude of residents and businesses in the state towards governance, citing the instance of citizens’ compliance with the payment of tax. “There’s improvement in our tax revenue. Last month, we recorded an unprecedented increase to over ₦6 billion.”
The Executive Council meeting continued after the governor’s address to consider presentations and submissions from council members.
The council approved a draft bill to be sent to the state legislature for a law to establish the Cross River State Social Investment Program Agency. “A draft for a law to amend the Cross River State Audit Law No. 8 of 2021.”
Also, the council approved Executive Order No. 1 of 2024 for the protection of mining communities against insecurity, exploitation, and collection of surface rents from mining entities. Other approvals from the seventh Executive Council meeting of the current year, as disclosed by the Commissioner for Information, Mr. Erasmus Ekpang, in a release are as follows:
“An approval for the procurement of digital printing machines and accessories for the Cross River State Government Printing Press.”
“The comprehensive rehabilitation of the Old Residency Museum and the Museum Kitchen in Calabar.”
“Ratified the governor’s approval of the sum of ₦3,554,642,584.46 only as Cross River State counterpart fund for the 2024 Federal Government Statutory Allocation for the Universal Basic Education Board (UBEB) Matching Grants to the State.”
“Approved the payment of USD 100,000,000 as seed fund for the Expression of Interest in the Immunization Plus and Malaria Progress for Accelerating Coverage and Transformation Services Impact Project.”
“Approval for the release of ₦200 million as part of the payment to landowners along Odukpani Junction – Itu Road, being the balance of the total ₦400 million earlier approved for the same project.”
“The payment of ₦200 million Basic Health Care Provision Fund in the state and the ratification of the release of the sum of ₦450 million only as counterpart fund for Nigeria for Women Project (NFWP) to enable the official take-off of the project.”
The council further approved the adoption of the draft bill for the amendment of the Cross River State Roads Maintenance Agency Law No. 5 of 2009.
The meeting also acknowledged the decorum displayed by residents and indigenes of the state amidst the ten-day nationwide protest, which has recorded wanton destruction and looting of public and private property in some states. Whereas, the state remained overwhelmingly calm and orderly across the state.