Governor Bassey Otu
By Anietie Akpan
Cross River state government has struck oil, launching herself back to the league of oil producing states in Nigeria.
Thus to fully regain her membership in the exclusive club of oil producing States within the first term of his administration, the Governor Bassey Otu in his “State of the State Address to mark the first Year Anniversary” in office on Wednesday, declared:
“It is therefore with pride and excitement that I announce to Cross Riverians that the State is a reservoir of vast oil and gas resources with the commencement of drilling in two oil blocs, as well as ongoing re-entry of abandoned cat-wells. This has prompted meetings/discussions with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC), the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), and other stakeholders towards full exploration and production which will lead to the attainment of an oil producing status with its attendant benefits.
“In addition to this realisation, the recent visit by the National Boundary Commission on the request by the Cross River State Government, for a revisit of the precise location of oil wells along our boundaries with neighbouring States has sufficient promise that past decisions against the iState were incorrect. Cross River State is surely on the road of recovering some of its oil wells”.
Since the loss of 76 oil wells, following the unfortunate ceding of the Bakassi Peninsula, the economic fortunes of the State have drastically dwindled and Otu said, “I was convinced from the very beginning that if my administration is to make a difference in the lives of the people by bringing into effect the Season of Sweetness, certain bold steps have to be taken”.
In addition to oil and the challenge to boost the state’s economy and revenue growth, “We have also commenced the single largest agricultural productivity reform with the launch of the transparent and digitally managed N30 billion commercial agric development fund, called Project Grow. The project is a six-year private sector led Commercial Agriculture Credit guarantee scheme, which seeks to close the collateralization gap needed for agribusinesses to scale up their businesses. The project, which covers the five value chain of maize, rice, cassava, cattle fodder and fisheries, seeks to create 100,000 direct jobs with over N 50 billion in revenues”.
He said that “agriculture is the mainstay of our economy, we have conducted a comprehensive soil fertility survey of Cross River State, leading to the establishment of reliable soil fertility/survey/mapping of the entire land. We have also distributed farm inputs to 1,080 beneficiaries, rehabilitated 17 farm access roads with 4,250 beneficiaries utilizing them, established 286 incomes earning Agric enterprises and seconded 2000 incubates to undergo membership. Similarly, work on the planting of 3.5 million oil palm seedlings have commenced, while other interventions in other cash crops are currently being tackled.
“We have commenced this through an aggressive campaign to elevate our oil palm production status, by collaborating with the Nigerian Institute for Oil Palm Research (NIFOR) and the Oil Palm Growers Association of Nigeria, to help develop the sprouted nuts into oil palm seedlings, for onward distribution to our small holders’ farmers at subsidised rates. The development of the field nurseries is ongoing across the 13 designated locations in the State”.
Currently, the governor said “organizations like Flour Mill Plc are in talks with the Project to off-take yellow maize which will be produced locally, with many value chain actors benefitting from the off-take. We have off-takers for cattle fodder and rice paddy from in-country and foreign interests.
“In line with our own desire to run an all year round agricultural production, we have initiated the Cross River State-wide Irrigation Infrastructure Development Project (SWIID) to carry out the study and design for subsequent irrigation projects across the State, in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment, Office of the Surveyor General, Forestry Commission, Agricultural Development Project, as well as relevant development partners, so that we can take sustainable and long term holistic decisions in regards to irrigation.
“We have also approved and commenced the extension of the current smallholder cocoa development scheme, to include the development of estates in Akamkpa,Akpabuyo, Odukpani, Ikom, Obubra and Bekwarra Local Government Areas in the first phase. And efforts are underway to regain moribund cocoa estates in lkom and Obubra so as to include them in the small holders’ scheme of the next allocation exercise”.
According to him, full academic activities of the re-established Cross River State College of Agriculture and Forestry, Ovonum, Obubra Local Government Area, will commence in late 2024 to enable the State train sufficient middle level manpower in those areas of need and “through this College, an aggressive forestry programme with the development of a 3 million tree plant nursery wil be a priority to restore our lost forest”.
Besides the aggressive efforts on roads, education, health and others, Otu stated that “in all, the State has made significant strides within the past one year in advancing its digital infrastructure and services and is implementing a Central Payment and Authentication System (CAS), to streamline financial transactions and enhance the visibility of tax-related activities.
“The immediate impact of all these innovations is growth of Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) from N20.5 billion in 2022 to N30.8 billion in 2023, representing an increase of 50.24 percent. It also grew by 60.6 percent or N22.6 billion from June 2023 to N36 billion in May 2024. N16.3 billion was recorded between January 2024 to May 2024 from the initial N10.5 billion during the same period in 2023, representing a 55 percent growth. During the same period, the State moved from its permanent 28th position to being among the first 10 States in accountability index, through its timely delivery of records to relevant authorities.
“It also won a $4 million for the first time through its DLI achievements in SABER, and equally qualified for the 2nd year IVA screening, and is now rated 2nd best in the federation”.
The governor emphasized that he spent his first one year in office as governor, “laying the foundation of a strong economy, through its diversification and introduction of policies which promote increased internal revenue generation, up scaling infrastructural deficits and ensuring continuity in the implementation of all previous government projects and programmes; I have improved the overall peace and security of the State in order to guarantee citizen’s well-being and protection in pursuant of their legitimate endeavours. Above all, I have renewed hope in our ability to achieve the greatness we so eagerly yearn”.
