Emergency Exco: Governor Otu Approves N2.1bn for Education, Road Works at Bakassi Deep Seaport
Calabar, Nigeria – Cross River State Governor, Senator (Prince) Bassey Edet Otu, on Thursday, October 2, 2025, presided over an emergency session of the State Executive Council (Exco) where far-reaching decisions on infrastructure and education were approved.
The 10th Exco meeting for the year, held at the Governor's Office Complex in Calabar, focused on urgent interventions, particularly the commencement of works at the Bakassi Deep Seaport site and the strengthening of the state's basic education system.
Top among the approvals was the emergency construction of a 1.7-kilometre access road and a one-hectare helipad at the Bakassi Deep Seaport location. The projects are expected to pave the way for the groundbreaking ceremony of the much-anticipated seaport, which Governor Otu has described as a "game changer" for Cross River's economy.
On education, the council approved the release of N2.1 billion for the printing of Training and Learning Materials (TLMs) under the Hope Programme, a World Bank-assisted initiative aimed at improving foundational literacy and numeracy for primary school pupils. The programme also includes the provision of teachers' guides and training for over 11,700 teachers across the state.
The Commissioner for Information, Dr. Erasmus Ekpang, explained that the intervention will not only strengthen learning outcomes in primary schools but also guarantee a reimbursement of more than N17.7 billion from the World Bank.
Earlier, Governor Otu welcomed the new Head of Service, Barr. Orok Okon, to his first Exco meeting in his new role, praising his experience and charging him to bring added value to the state's civil service.
The Governor, in his remarks, reiterated his administration's People First agenda, urging commissioners to remain closer to the grassroots so that citizens can fully understand and benefit from government policies and programmes.
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