C'River Cracks Down on Unapproved Schools, Shuts 10

Patricia Ogbeche | October 3rd, 2026

CALABAR—Cross River State Government has intensified its crackdown on unapproved schools, sealing 10 institutions in Calabar South and Odukpani Local Government Areas for operating without the required Approval to Operate (ATO).

The enforcement, carried out by the State Ministry of Education through its Quality Assurance Department, is part of a wider exercise to be extended to all 18 local government areas of the state to ensure compliance with approved educational standards.

Commissioner for Education, Senator Prof. Stephen A. Odey, said the exercise was aimed at safeguarding the future of pupils and students by ensuring that schools meet the required standards for effective teaching and learning.

“The exercise is aimed at safeguarding the future of our pupils and students by ensuring that schools meet the required standards for effective teaching and learning,” Odey said.

He urged proprietors operating without approval to regularise their institutions, warning that any school sealed by the Ministry and reopened without authorisation would face appropriate sanctions.

Odey said the enforcement would continue across all 18 Local Government Areas, stressing that government remained committed to ensuring that educational institutions operate within the approved regulatory framework.

“The exercise will continue across the 18 Local Government Areas of the State,” he said, urging proprietors of unapproved schools to take immediate steps to regularise their institutions.

As of October 2, 2026, 10 schools had been shut down during the latest enforcement exercise, with nine located in Calabar-South and one in Odukpani Local Government Area.

The affected schools in Calabar-South are Aunty Offiong’s Talent Nursery/Primary School, Dreams and Destiny Manifestation Nursery/Primary School, Abba’s Delight Kids Academy, Evangel High School, Destined Headers International School, Phronesis-Sunesis School of Excellence, Emerald Bay Schools, Elsin Foundation and Bridgeway International Schools.

Also shut down was God’slife Nursery/Primary School in Odukpani Local Government Area.

The Commissioner reiterated the Ministry’s commitment to protecting the quality, safety and integrity of education across Cross River State, stressing that compliance with approved standards was essential to providing pupils and students with a safe and conducive environment for learning.

The government said the enforcement would continue across the State as the Ministry intensifies monitoring and regulatory activities to ensure that schools comply with approved requirements.

Nigeria-Cameroon boundary does not lie in Akwa Ibom – CRSCF

CALABAR— The Cross River State Consultative Forum (CRSCF) has challenged the reported assertion that the Nigeria-Cameroon international boundary lies in Akwa Ibom State, insisting that the relevant boundary interface is historically and geographically associated with Cross River State.

The Forum made the clarification in a statement issued in response to remarks attributed to Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, during the 39th anniversary celebration of Akwa Ibom State.

According to the CRSCF, the Nigeria-Cameroon boundary in the southern sector was established through historical instruments, the 2002 judgment of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in the Cameroon-Nigeria boundary case and subsequent implementation arrangements.

It argued that none of those instruments transferred an international boundary with Cameroon to Akwa Ibom State.

The ICJ, in its October 10, 2002 judgment, fixed the course of the land and maritime boundaries between Cameroon and Nigeria. In the Bakassi area, the Court determined that the boundary follows the thalweg of the Akwayafe River and extends to a line joining Bakassi Point and King Point, before proceeding into the maritime delimitation.

The CRSCF said the significance of the judgment should therefore not be confused with the internal administrative boundaries of Nigerian states.

“The land and maritime boundary between Nigeria and Cameroon is defined by colonial instruments, principally the Anglo-German Agreements of 1913, the ICJ judgment of October 10, 2002, and subsequent implementation agreements,” the Forum said.

It maintained that the southern Nigerian territory relevant to the boundary dispute had historically and administratively been associated with Cross River, including the Bakassi area and the Calabar axis.

The Forum said Akwa Ibom State did not acquire an international boundary with Cameroon as a consequence of the 2002 ICJ judgment.

It further argued that the judgment, which awarded sovereignty over the Bakassi Peninsula to Cameroon, should not be interpreted as relocating the Nigeria-Cameroon international boundary to Akwa Ibom.

The CRSCF said the distinction between the international boundary and Nigeria’s internal state boundaries was particularly important in the continuing debate over Cross River’s maritime status and offshore oil resources.

It claimed that the Cross River Estuary remained within Nigerian territory and that the maritime delimitation between Nigeria and Cameroon in the area was still subject to further demarcation.

The Forum said correspondence with relevant federal authorities had indicated that the offshore limit of the Nigeria-Cameroon maritime boundary had not been fully demarcated.

It therefore argued that assertions concerning the precise location of the international maritime boundary should be based on the applicable legal instruments, official surveys and the work of the relevant boundary authorities.

The CRSCF also rejected what it described as an attempt to use the loss of Bakassi to suggest that Cross River had ceased to have any geographical or historical relationship with the sea.

It said the 2002 ICJ judgment was a determination of sovereignty and international boundaries and should not be presented as having altered the physical geography of the Cross River estuarine system.

The Forum's position comes amid renewed debate over Cross River's maritime status and its claim to offshore oil resources.

In its 2012 judgment on the dispute involving Cross River, the Federal Government and Akwa Ibom over offshore oil wells, the Supreme Court held that Cross River had lost its status as a littoral state following the implementation of the ICJ decision on Bakassi. The ruling had major implications for the state's claim to derivation revenue from disputed offshore oil wells.

However, the CRSCF said the legal consequences of the loss of littoral status for revenue allocation should not be conflated with the physical location of the Nigeria-Cameroon boundary.

The Forum also argued that the continuing technical work on offshore resources and maritime boundaries made it necessary for the Federal Government to rely on scientific and legal evidence in resolving the outstanding issues.

It urged the National Boundary Commission and other relevant agencies to provide clarity on the unresolved aspects of the maritime boundary and ensure that the issue was not reduced to political claims.

The CRSCF said Cross River and Akwa Ibom were neighbouring states with longstanding cultural, economic and historical ties and that the disagreement should not undermine relations between their people.

It, however, insisted that good neighbourliness must be anchored on factual accuracy.

“Good neighbourliness and parliamentary courtesy are valuable; they do not substitute for accurate geography, honest history, or equitable resource treatment,” the Forum said.

The organisation called on Akpabio to support what it described as an evidence-based resolution of Cross River's maritime and offshore resource claims.

It said the Senate President, as a national political leader and former governor of Akwa Ibom State, had an opportunity to facilitate dialogue between the affected states and the relevant federal institutions.

The CRSCF stressed that its position was not intended to create hostility between Cross River and Akwa Ibom, but to ensure that questions involving international boundaries, maritime jurisdiction and natural resources were addressed through law, official records and scientific evidence.

“Cross River and Akwa Ibom share history, culture, and destiny as South-South neighbours. Productive cooperation is possible and desirable. It must, however, rest on facts rather than convenient narratives,” the Forum said.

NTCA Urges Nigeria to reject tobacco industries development initiatives

Christian Njoku  | 30th September,  2026

The Nigeria Tobacco Control Alliance (NTCA) has urged governments at all levels to reject tobacco industry-linked development initiatives that could influence public policy decisions.

The Communications Officer, of NTCA, Mr Emmanuel Onwuka made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), highlighting concerns over corporate social responsibilities (CSR) sponsored by tobacco companies and their foundations across Nigeria.

Onwuka alleged that one of the major tobacco companies in Nigeria had reportedly implemented more than 300 community projects, empowering 300,000 farmers, planting 500,000 trees and constructing 105 solar-powered boreholes nationwide.

He also alleged that the tobacco companies through their foundations have reportedly reached about 1.7 million beneficiaries and invested about N4 billion in community development.

He however noted that such interventions could portray tobacco companies as important development partners.

He cited Article 5.3 of the World Health Organisation (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, which requires governments to protect tobacco-control policies from commercial interests of tobacco companies.

"Nigeria ratified the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control in 2005, while its implementation guidelines call for denormalising and regulating tobacco industry activities presented as socially responsible," he said.

According to Onwuka, the Tobacco Industry Interference Index 2025 identified tobacco-related CSR activities in Nigeria as a strategy capable of creating legitimacy and facilitating access to policymakers.

He said projects involving water, agriculture, education and entrepreneurship had been implemented in Lagos, Oyo and other states, sometimes involving government ministries, agencies and local authorities.

"Public endorsement of tobacco industry-sponsored projects by government officials could undermine Article 5.3, which seeks to prevent commercial interests from interfering with tobacco-control policies and measures.

"The public health consequences of tobacco use should not be overlooked because communities receive boreholes, agricultural support, grants or other development interventions from tobacco-linked organisations," he asserted.

He said that available data shows that smoking has been associated with about 29,000 deaths annually in Nigeria, while tobacco-related illness also contributes significantly to healthcare costs and productivity losses.

Onwuka said the situation meant Nigerian families could lose parents, spouses and siblings prematurely, while affected households also face medical expenses, reduced incomes and diminished economic opportunities.

He urged government to strengthen tobacco-control measures through increased taxation, larger health warnings, comprehensive marketing restrictions, smoke-free environments and stronger protection of children and young people.

He called on youths, farmers, students and policymakers to critically examine tobacco-linked philanthropy, saying Nigeria should protect public health while ensuring development initiatives do not compromise tobacco-control objectives.

Ukorebi Esien

Editor-in-Chief, 

The Daily News Ng

Lead Consultant

Achievers Center for Community Development Initiative

+2348161527978

Otu Not Playing Politics, He’s Rebuilding Cross River’s Economic Foundation — Ebokpo

Ukorebi Esien | September 21, 2026

CALABAR — Cross River State Commissioner for Agriculture and Irrigation Development, Johnson Andiambey Ebokpo, has said Governor Bassey Edet Otu is not in office merely to pursue political interests but to confront what he described as deep-rooted historical factors responsible for the state’s economic decline.

Ebokpo, who urged Cross Riverians to support the administration’s development agenda, argued that the economic challenges facing the state could not be blamed solely on successive democratic governments.

He said the roots of the problem stretched far beyond the current political dispensation, pointing to historical political and transportation decisions taken in the Niger area, particularly during the era of the Southern Rivers Protectorate.

The commissioner spoke against the backdrop of growing demands for improved economic opportunities, infrastructure and development outcomes in the state.

According to him, understanding Cross River’s present condition requires a broader appreciation of the historical circumstances that shaped its economic and political trajectory.

“Governor Bassey Edet Otu did not come into office to play politics. He came with a clear mission to change a historical narrative,” Ebokpo said.

He maintained that while young Cross Riverians may understandably attribute the state’s difficulties to successive democratic administrations, such an assessment, in his view, fails to capture the complexity and longevity of the challenges.

“Cross Riverians, it takes a person with a deep sense of history, broad exposure and, most importantly, maturity to look beyond the surface and focus on the fundamental issues that truly matter,” he said.

Ebokpo said the Otu administration was deliberately concentrating on what he described as the foundational aspects of development, insisting that some of the most important elements of economic transformation may not produce immediate visible results.

“Governor Otu understands that meaningful transformation begins with the foundation—much of which may not be immediately visible to the public. He has come to build, and every sustainable structure must first have a solid foundation,” he said.

The commissioner urged residents to give the administration the time and support required to implement its development plans, arguing that rebuilding an economy with deep historical disadvantages could not be achieved overnight.

He also defended the administration’s People First ideology, saying it should not be viewed merely as a political slogan or an agenda designed around the tenure of one government.

Rather, he described it as a long-term economic development strategy aimed at dismantling what he called historical barriers to growth and creating sustainable opportunities for Cross Riverians.

“The People First ideology is not merely an agenda for one administration; it is a long-term economic development journey towards breaking historical barriers, rebuilding our foundations and creating sustainable opportunities for our people,” Ebokpo said.

He said the real value of the administration’s policies should ultimately be measured by whether they create structures and opportunities capable of surviving beyond the present government.

According to him, the objective should be to leave behind an economic foundation that subsequent administrations can build upon rather than repeatedly starting from scratch.

“The impact should transcend the tenure of this administration and become a lasting legacy for Cross River State,” he added.

Ebokpo therefore called on Cross Riverians to support Governor Otu, saying the governor has assumed responsibility for steering the state through what he described as an important stage in its historical development.

He said sustained commitment to long-term economic planning, rather than a focus on immediate political gains, would be critical to reversing the state’s economic fortunes.

Otu Not Playing Politics, He’s Rebuilding Cross River’s Economic Foundation — Ebokpo

Ukorebi Esien | September 21, 2026

CALABAR — Cross River State Commissioner for Agriculture and Irrigation Development, Johnson Andiambey Ebokpo, has said Governor Bassey Edet Otu is not in office merely to pursue political interests but to confront what he described as deep-rooted historical factors responsible for the state’s economic decline.

Ebokpo, who urged Cross Riverians to support the administration’s development agenda, argued that the economic challenges facing the state could not be blamed solely on successive democratic governments.

He said the roots of the problem stretched far beyond the current political dispensation, pointing to historical political and transportation decisions taken in the Niger area, particularly during the era of the Southern Rivers Protectorate.

The commissioner spoke against the backdrop of growing demands for improved economic opportunities, infrastructure and development outcomes in the state.

According to him, understanding Cross River’s present condition requires a broader appreciation of the historical circumstances that shaped its economic and political trajectory.

“Governor Bassey Edet Otu did not come into office to play politics. He came with a clear mission to change a historical narrative,” Ebokpo said.

He maintained that while young Cross Riverians may understandably attribute the state’s difficulties to successive democratic administrations, such an assessment, in his view, fails to capture the complexity and longevity of the challenges.

“Cross Riverians, it takes a person with a deep sense of history, broad exposure and, most importantly, maturity to look beyond the surface and focus on the fundamental issues that truly matter,” he said.

Ebokpo said the Otu administration was deliberately concentrating on what he described as the foundational aspects of development, insisting that some of the most important elements of economic transformation may not produce immediate visible results.

“Governor Otu understands that meaningful transformation begins with the foundation—much of which may not be immediately visible to the public. He has come to build, and every sustainable structure must first have a solid foundation,” he said.

The commissioner urged residents to give the administration the time and support required to implement its development plans, arguing that rebuilding an economy with deep historical disadvantages could not be achieved overnight.

He also defended the administration’s People First ideology, saying it should not be viewed merely as a political slogan or an agenda designed around the tenure of one government.

Rather, he described it as a long-term economic development strategy aimed at dismantling what he called historical barriers to growth and creating sustainable opportunities for Cross Riverians.

“The People First ideology is not merely an agenda for one administration; it is a long-term economic development journey towards breaking historical barriers, rebuilding our foundations and creating sustainable opportunities for our people,” Ebokpo said.

He said the real value of the administration’s policies should ultimately be measured by whether they create structures and opportunities capable of surviving beyond the present government.

According to him, the objective should be to leave behind an economic foundation that subsequent administrations can build upon rather than repeatedly starting from scratch.

“The impact should transcend the tenure of this administration and become a lasting legacy for Cross River State,” he added.

Ebokpo therefore called on Cross Riverians to support Governor Otu, saying the governor has assumed responsibility for steering the state through what he described as an important stage in its historical development.

He said sustained commitment to long-term economic planning, rather than a focus on immediate political gains, would be critical to reversing the state’s economic fortunes.

NYCN-CRS Hails Tinubu Over Usoro Akpabio’s Appointment, Seeks Youth-Centred SSDC Agenda

Ukorebi Esien  | September 17, 2026

CALABAR — The National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), Cross River State Chapter, has called on the new leadership of the South-South Development Commission (SSDC) to make youth employment, skills development, entrepreneurship and sustainable livelihoods central to its agenda, following the appointment of Ms. Usoro Akpabio as Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Commission.

The council, under the leadership of its State Chairman, Comrade Emmanuel Olayi, expressed appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the appointment, describing it as an important opportunity to give young people a stronger stake in the development of the South-South region.

NYCN-CRS also congratulated Akpabio and the entire SSDC management team, describing their appointment as a fresh opportunity to translate the Commission’s mandate into tangible opportunities for young people across the six states of the region.

The council said youths should not be regarded merely as beneficiaries of development programmes, but as active participants in planning, implementation and monitoring.

It particularly urged the new management to prioritise sustainable employment, technical and digital skills, entrepreneurship financing, agribusiness, innovation and opportunities linked to projects supported by the Commission.

“On behalf of the youths of Cross River State, we sincerely appreciate Mr. President for this important appointment and for giving the South-South region a new leadership structure at a critical time.

“We congratulate Ms. Usoro Akpabio on this well-deserved appointment and wish her and the entire management team a powerful start. We believe that the success of the Commission must ultimately be measured by the opportunities it creates and the impact it makes in the lives of our people, particularly young people,” the council said.

NYCN-CRS said the appointment had generated expectations among young people across the region, particularly in the areas of job creation, human capital development and enterprise support.

According to the council, the South-South has a large population of young people with the capacity to contribute significantly to the region’s economic growth if provided with the right skills, opportunities and enabling environment.

The council therefore called for an early engagement between the new SSDC management and recognised youth representatives across the six states to establish a clear framework for youth participation in the Commission’s programmes.

It also urged the Commission to ensure that youth-focused interventions are transparent, inclusive and equitably distributed, with particular attention to young women, rural youths, persons with disabilities and other vulnerable groups.

NYCN-CRS further pledged the cooperation and partnership of Cross River youths to the new management, while expressing its readiness to contribute ideas and grassroots perspectives that could strengthen the Commission’s programmes.

The council said it looked forward to a new era in which young people would have greater access to opportunities to acquire skills, build businesses, secure decent work and contribute meaningfully to the development of their communities.

It described the appointment of Akpabio and the new management team as an opportunity for a “powerful start” and urged them to use the moment to establish a strong foundation for inclusive and sustainable development across the South-South.

“Congratulations once again to Ms. Usoro Akpabio and the entire management team. We wish you wisdom, courage and remarkable success in this important national assignment.

“May your tenure open new doors of opportunity for the young people of the South-South and mark a new chapter of purposeful, inclusive and sustainable development for our region.”

Larry Odey: SSDC to Support Otu’s Development Agenda, Intervene in Cross River

 

 Ukorebi Esien | September 16, 2026

CALABAR — The Cross River State Representative on the Governing Board of the South-South Development Commission, SSDC, Rt. Hon. Larry Odey, has assured Governor Bassey Otu of the commission’s support for his administration and promised that Cross River would benefit from interventions within its mandate.

Odey gave the assurance during a stakeholder engagement in Calabar, where the commission met with representatives of the National Youth Council of Nigeria, NYCN, Cross River State Chapter.

He expressed appreciation to Governor Otu for nominating him to serve on the SSDC Governing Board, describing the appointment as an opportunity to contribute to the advancement of the state and the South-South region.

Odey also commended the governor for his efforts in Cross River, assuring him of the commission’s “absolute support” in areas where its programmes could complement the state government’s initiatives.

He said the SSDC would work with the state government and other stakeholders to identify areas requiring attention and determine how its programmes could best respond to the needs of the people.

The board member said the ongoing stakeholder consultations were important to the commission because they provided an opportunity to hear directly from communities, youth groups and other critical stakeholders before programmes are implemented.

According to him, the views gathered during the consultations would help the commission better understand the priorities of Cross River and guide its engagement with the state.

Odey assured stakeholders that their concerns would be taken into consideration as the SSDC develops its programmes for the region.

The meeting also provided an opportunity for Cross River youths to present a seven-point charter to the commission, containing demands on employment, skills acquisition, entrepreneurship funding, agriculture, digital development, youth participation and equitable distribution of opportunities across the state's 18 local government areas.

The NYCN leadership urged the commission to focus on sustainable opportunities rather than short-term empowerment, while calling for youth inclusion in programmes, internships, apprenticeships and other opportunities arising from SSDC-supported projects.

Odey, who led the SSDC delegation, said the commission was committed to maintaining engagement with stakeholders as it proceeds with its work across the South-South region.

‘No Handouts, Bailouts; Give Us Jobs, Sustainable Livelihoods’ — Cross River Youths Tell SSDC

Ukorebi Esien | September 15, 2026

CALABAR — The National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), Cross River State Chapter, has urged the South-South Development Commission (SSDC) to prioritise job creation, sustainable livelihoods and long-term economic opportunities for young people rather than short-term empowerment initiatives.

The NYCN made the demand during an engagement between the SSDC and youth leaders from across Cross River State in Calabar, where it presented a seven-point Youth Charter of Requests to the Commission.

The engagement, led on behalf of the SSDC by its Cross River State Representative on the Governing Board, Rt. Hon. Larry Odey formed part of the Commission’s ongoing grassroots consultations with critical stakeholders across the six South-South states ahead of the implementation of its programmes and interventions.

Addressing the SSDC delegation, NYCN Cross River Chairman, Comrade Emmanuel Olayi, said the youths were not at the meeting merely to make demands but to offer partnership, ideas and solutions to the Commission.

Olayi, however, said young people needed opportunities that would enable them to become economically productive rather than interventions that merely provided temporary relief.

“We are therefore not here only to make demands. We are here to offer partnership, ideas and solutions. But we also believe that our priorities must be clearly heard,” he said.

The youth leader identified sustainable employment as the foremost priority, urging the SSDC to deliberately include Cross River youths in employment, internships, apprenticeships and opportunities arising from development projects supported by the Commission.

He also called for greater investment in technical and vocational education, digital skills, entrepreneurship and youth-led businesses.

According to him, many young people have business ideas but lack the capital and support required to translate them into viable enterprises.

He therefore proposed the establishment of a Youth Enterprise and Empowerment Fund or a similar financing mechanism through which young entrepreneurs could access grants, affordable loans, mentorship and market opportunities.

The NYCN further called for increased investment in youth-led agriculture and agribusiness, including access to land, improved seedlings, mechanisation, processing facilities, storage, extension services, financing and markets.

The council argued that young people should not merely be encouraged to farm but should be supported to participate in the entire agricultural value chain.

On the digital economy, Olayi urged the Commission to support training in areas including coding, artificial intelligence, digital marketing, software development, cybersecurity, graphic design and e-commerce.

He also called for improved internet and digital infrastructure, particularly for youths in rural communities.

The youths' seven-point charter further demanded institutionalised youth participation in development planning and monitoring, investment in youth development and innovation centres, support for sports and creative industries, and equitable distribution of youth-focused interventions across the state's 18 local government areas.

The council also sought special consideration for young women, rural youths, persons with disabilities, unemployed graduates and other vulnerable groups.

On governance and accountability, the NYCN requested the establishment of a youth advisory or consultative mechanism through which young people could regularly engage with the SSDC.

It also proposed that the Commission work with the NYCN and other credible youth stakeholders to develop a Cross River Youth Development Framework containing specific priorities, targets and measurable outcomes.

Olayi said the youths wanted a Cross River where young people would not have to leave the state in search of opportunities, but could find the skills, infrastructure, capital and enabling environment needed to build sustainable livelihoods at home.

The seven-point charter was presented as a framework for further engagement between the NYCN and the SSDC, with the youths expecting the identified priorities to be translated into programmes, funding commitments and implementation timelines.

Olayi stressed that the engagement should translate into concrete action.

“Today's engagement should not end with speeches and photographs. We respectfully ask for clear action points, responsible institutions, timelines and follow-up mechanisms,” he said.

He added that the youths wanted “partnership, not dependency; opportunity, not tokenism; and measurable action, not promises.”

Responding to the concerns, the SSDC's Cross River representative, Odey, outlined the mandate of the Commission and emphasised the importance of building a working relationship with young people as it begins to implement programmes across the state.

The engagement provided an opportunity for youth leaders to present their concerns directly to the Commission and for the SSDC to hear perspectives on the priorities and challenges confronting young people across the state.

The youths also pledged to support initiatives aimed at promoting peace, economic development and community resilience, assuring the Commission that young people in Cross River were ready to contribute their skills, energy and enterprise to the development of the state and the wider South-South region.

The SSDC's response and subsequent implementation of any youth-focused interventions will therefore be closely watched, particularly against the youths' demand for measurable outcomes and equitable distribution of opportunities across the 18 local government areas. 

C'River LG Commission faults HOS directive on 4,000 recruitment

Ukorebi Esien | September 15, 2026

CALABAR — The Cross River State Local Government Service Commission has faulted a circular issued by the state Head of Service, Orok Bassey Okon, concerning the proposed recruitment of 4,000 personnel into the Local Government Service.

The commission, in a statement signed by its Chairman, Hon. Eyo Nsa Ekpo, on Tuesday, maintained that the recruitment falls within its statutory responsibility and would be conducted through a transparent, digital and merit-based process.

The statement was issued in reaction to Circular No. 17/2026, referenced GO/HOS/4/Vol. III/364 and dated September 11, 2026, by the Head of Service.

The commission explained that its clarification was aimed at setting the record straight and ensuring that the recruitment process remained consistent with the official position of the state government.

It maintained that the responsibility for recruiting into the Unified Local Government Service rests exclusively with the Local Government Service Commission, subject to the governor's approval and compliance with the relevant enabling laws.

The commission said the Head of Service had no role in recruiting personnel into the Local Government Service or in directing, controlling or interfering with the commission's recruitment procedures.

It further argued that the Head of Service lacked the constitutional, statutory and administrative authority to undertake such responsibilities.

The commission's position came after the state government approved the recruitment of 4,000 personnel to fill manpower shortages across the state's 18 local government areas.

It said the new exercise would be restricted to local government employment and would replace the 2024/2025 recruitment conducted by the former Local Government Service Commission.

According to the commission, the earlier exercise was cancelled after being found to have been fundamentally defective, although 821 appointments approved by Governor Bassey Otu were exempted from the cancellation.

The exempted group, it said, included 83 CROSIEC personnel who had previously been recruited through the Civil Service Commission before being redesignated.

The commission alleged that the previous recruitment lacked executive approval and was marred by job racketeering, the commercialisation of employment slots, institutional complicity and breaches of existing laws and financial regulations.

It said the fresh exercise would be conducted in line with its statutory mandate, with a digital recruitment portal expected to be launched in due course.

Those affected by the cancellation of the previous exercise and who meet the required qualifications, the commission said, would be allowed and encouraged to submit fresh applications.

It also disclosed that arrangements were being concluded for possible compensation for genuine victims of the cancelled recruitment exercise.

The commission called on stakeholders to rely on the official position of the state government and disregard any circular or directive that, in its assessment, attempted to take over its legally assigned functions.

It reaffirmed its commitment to due process, transparency and merit in the recruitment exercise, saying this would help restore public confidence in the administration of the state's local governments.

Cal. South APC Rolls Out Scholarships to Pupils in Ward 6

CALABAR — All Progressives Congress (APC), Ward 6, Calabar South Local Government Area of Cross River State, has rolled out a scholarship initiative for pupils in polling unit 16 of the ward, with 20 beneficiaries receiving N20,000 each as education support.

The initiative, sponsored by Hon. Archibong Orok, Leader of Polling Unit 16 in Ward 6, was designed to support parents with the educational needs of their children as schools prepare to resume.

Speaking at the presentation, Orok said the initiative was part of efforts by members of the polling unit to contribute to human development while appreciating the administration of Governor Bassey Otu for what he described as interventions in the area.

He said the ward had been challenged to improve its voting figures ahead of the 2027 general elections, adding that the initiative was therefore aimed at combining human development with political mobilisation.

According to him, 20 pupils from government primary schools, whose parents are registered voters in Polling Unit 16, were selected as beneficiaries.

Orok said the initiative was deliberately kept low-key to ensure that the scholarship reached its intended beneficiaries rather than becoming a large political gathering.

He further stated that the polling unit was working towards increasing its support for the APC ahead of the 2027 elections.

“By December 2026, we will assure you that we will have over 700 persons voting for the APC in PU 16,” he said.

He also urged beneficiaries and their parents to see the scholarship as an investment in education and a demonstration of the party's commitment to human development.

Chairman of Calabar South Local Government Area and chairman of the occasion, Pastor Patrick Archibong, described the scholarship as a means of reducing the financial burden on parents and helping children remain in school.

Archibong said supporting children's education could also help protect them from child abuse and other social challenges associated with being out of school.

He commended the sponsor for the initiative and urged parents to ensure that the money was used for the educational needs of their children.

Also speaking, the President of the National Association of Calabar South Students Worldwide, Ruth Asuquo, said the initiative was more than a scholarship presentation, describing it as an investment in the future of the community.

Asuquo said financial difficulties remained a major barrier to education for many families, adding that supporting pupils would help create opportunities for the next generation.

She encouraged the beneficiaries to take their studies seriously, develop themselves and use the opportunity to become sources of positive impact in society.

The Supervisor for Education in Calabar South, Lawrence Ekeng Inyang, who gave the vote of thanks, commended the initiative and said he would encourage similar interventions in his own ward.

He advised the parents to use the N20,000 strictly for the educational needs of their children, including school uniforms and exercise books, particularly as schools are expected to resume soon.

The APC Chairman of Ward 6, Paul Offiong Etim, expressed support for the initiative and pledged to work towards its sustainability.

Speaking on behalf of the parents, Comrade Ekeng Kubianga thanked Orok for the gesture, saying it was consistent with the People First agenda of the administration of Governor Bassey Otu.

Other dignitaries at the event included Hon. Archibong Ironbar, caucus leader and chapter chairman of the APC in Calabar South, among others.

The organisers said the scholarship initiative would be sustained as part of efforts to support education and human development within the ward.