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Tag: Bassey Otu

  • Otu gives automatic employment to ex-corps member who honoured dad

    Otu gives automatic employment to ex-corps member who honoured dad

    Cross River Governor, Senator Bassey Otu has granted Miss Arit Abam, an ex-corps member, automatic employment in the state civil service for honoring her father’s sacrifices to give her higher education.

    Miss Arit Abam returned to her father’s thatch house in their village and filmed herself marching towards him; with a military-style salute, she thanked her father and handed over both her NYSC jacket and face cap to him.

    She posted the video on social media, with a touching note of gratitude and a charge to youths not to be ashamed of their humble backgrounds; which eventually went viral.

    Recall that Governor Umo Enoh of Akwa Ibom State, touched by Arit’s expression of gratitude and the story of the father’s sacrifice to see his child through school, recently sent a delegation to Ugep, Yakurr local government area of Cross River State for some background check. Upon the team’s verification of the story, Governor Eno pledged to build a three-bedroom flat for Mr Abam and his family in recognition of his sacrifices.

    Read Also; Our economy ‘ll roar back to glory in coming months – Tinubu

    Governor Bassey Otu lauded Governor Umo Enoh’s gesture towards Arit Abam – an exemplary young Cross Riverian – noting that it confirms the bond between the two sister states.

    He hosted Arit in his office where he charged youths in Cross River State and beyond to emulate such acts he described as “worthy of reward.”

    A graduate of Mass Communication from Temple Gate Polytechnic, Aba, Abia State, Arit expressed thanks to Governor Otu for his magnanimity, which she sees as an encouragement toward maintaining cultural standards and values while acknowledging God for earning goodwill through a simple act of gratitude.

    Governor Otu gave Miss Arit the privilege to choose any ministry, department, or agency she would prefer to work with within the state civil service.

    The Secretary to the Cross River State Government, Prof. Owan Enoh, and the Commissioner for Social Welfare and Community Development, Bishop Margaret Ene-Ita were both mandated to reach out to the ex-corps member and was later received by the governor.

  • BREAKING: Supreme Court affirms APC’s Otu’s election as Cross River governor

    BREAKING: Supreme Court affirms APC’s Otu’s election as Cross River governor

    The Supreme Court has affirmed the election of Governor Bassey Otu of Cross River State.

    In a judgement a moment ago, the court dismissed the appeal filed by Professor Sandy Onor and his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) with which they sought to sack Governor Otu of the APC.

    Read Also: BREAKING: Supreme Court dismisses PDP’s case against Otti’s election as Abia governor

    Justice Helen Ogunwumiju, in the lead judgment, held that the appellants failed to prove their case.

    Justice Ogunwumiju proceeded to affirm the concurrent judgments of the election tribunal and Court of Appeal, which affirmed Otu’s election.

    Details shortly… 

  • Otu presents N250b 2024 budget to assembly

    Otu presents N250b 2024 budget to assembly

    Cross River State Governor Bassey Otu has presented the 2024 budget sum of N250 billion to the House of Assembly, christened “People’s First Budget”.

    At the presentation yesterday before the 25-member legislature, the governor said capital expenditure would gulp N154,000,000,000 (One Hundred and Fifty-four Billion Naira) only, while N96,000,000,000 (Ninety-six Billion Naira) only is proposed for recurrent expenditure, representing a ratio of 61.6% – 38.4%.

    The 2024 proposed budget, being his administration’s first presentation, places priority on the people first, among other contending variables. He said: “The budget aligns with some Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations, such as Goal 2: Zero Hunger, Goal 3: Good Health and Well-being, Goal 4: Quality Education, Goal 5: Gender Equality, Goal 6: Clean Water and Sanitation, Goal 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth, Goal 9: Industry, innovation and infrastructure, Goal 16: Peace, Justice and Strong institution, We are, however, not unmindful of the world’s economic downturn, which Cross River State is not spared either.

     “We shall therefore remain focused on expenditure prudence and prioritising resource allocation to meet the aforementioned goals.”

    Read Also: Reps wants Otukpo bank robbery investigated

    Otu said the state Internal Revenue Service has been repositioned to ensure that every taxable adult is brought into the tax net.

    He said for the 2024 fiscal year, the government was expecting One Hundred and Thirty Three Billion Three Hundred Million Naira (N133,300,000,000) from the Federation Account (FAAC), while independent revenue is estimated at Thirty Five Billion Three Hundred and Twenty Two Million Seven Hundred and Forty Seven Thousand Five Hundred and Ninety Four Naira (N35,322,747,594).

    The governor said the budget was expected to prioritise agriculture, education, environment, infrastructure, youths, sports, security and tourism.

    House of Assembly Speaker Elvert Ayambem, who presided over the budget presentation session, thanked the governor for the cordial relationship between the executive and the legislature.

  • Otu welfare programmes has given us hope, says Odey

    Otu welfare programmes has given us hope, says Odey

    By Adeola Ogunlade

    The Director-General of the Restoration Grassroots Movement in APC, Cross River State, Dr Ndoma Odey, has said that the welfare programmes of the Cross River State Governor Bassey Otu have given the people hope; hence they have expressed readiness to support his administration.

    He spoke at a dinner in honour of the Speaker of the Cross River, Rt Honourable Elvert Ayambem in Lagos.

    Odey, who ran for a seat in the State House of Assembly in 2022, said it was inevitable that Governor Otu enjoys such support given his people-oriented programme.

    Read ALso: Otu imposes curfew on warring communities

    According to him, “If my Speaker is in Lagos, it’s incumbent on me to host him. Our people’s welfare-oriented governor, Bassey Otu, sent a high-powered team to Lagos to bring home and rehabilitate the weightlifting gold medalist, Bassey ‘Ironbar’ Etim.

    “Governor Otu’s manifesto ‘The People’s Manifesto’ is a wake up for every Cross Riverian to look inward and grow the state. He has given us a lot of reasons to hope.

    “Therefore, we have all keyed in- everyday Cross Riverian, experts and technocrats alike. We want to contribute to the development of our dear state. We are delighted, as a people, to be part of the governor’s agenda.

    “So, it is not surprising that he sent a team down to Lagos to bring Etim back home to rehabilitate and empower him. It shows how committed the governor is.”

  • C/River plans rail line to link Obudu to Calabar

    C/River plans rail line to link Obudu to Calabar

    Governor Bassey Otu of Cross River says his administration has begun plans to construct a rail line that will link Obudu from Calabar.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Otu disclosed this in Calabar during a media interaction to mark his 100 days in office.

    He said that the planned rail line, which would come to fruition during the lifetime of his administration, would help to ease the transportation challenges in the state.

    He noted that the planned project would be environmentally friendly.

    “I had said I wouldn’t embark on any new projects but to finish all the abandoned ones, but the rail line is important to ease the present challenges in the state.

    “My administration is not just going to start this project, but will also see to its conclusion,” he said.

    While noting that his administration had achieved huge success in the area of infrastructure development within his 100 days in office, he also said that Cally Air was receiving priority attention as well as the Obudu Cargo and Passengers airport.

    Read Also: Bassey Otu: From mythical Phoenix to servant leader 

    Expatiating on the Cargo airport, the governor said that the state had secured N3.7 billion for its completion.

    He said its completion was part of the plans to transform Cross River into an aviation hub.

    According to him, to transform the state into a transit hub and an evacuation corridor, the government had attracted an Irish Aviation Company to build and run an Aviation Training School in Bebi, Obanliku.

    “The State Government will undertake the payment of full tuition fees for all the indigenes of the state enrolled in the institution.

    “The sum of N3.7 billion has been made available by the State Government for the completion of the Obudu Cargo and Passenger Airport.”