RESOLUTIONS OF THE 7TH MEETING OF THE CROSS RIVER STATE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL HELD ON WEDNESDAY, 7TH AUGUST, 2024 AT THE COUNCIL OF CHIEFS CHAMBERS, CALABAR.
PREAMBLE:
The 7th Meeting of the Cross River State Executive Council for 2024 was presided over by His Excellency, Senator Prince Bassey Edet Otu, the Executive Governor of Cross River State and was attended by the Deputy Governor, His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Peter Odey, Honourable Commissioners as well as other Members of the State Executive Council.
Welcoming the members in his remarks, Governor Otu expressed his depth of gratitude to the entire residents of the State for the peace, calm and understanding while shunning the on-going nationwide protest to #EndBadGovernance.
Governor Otu restated his commitment of being in a hurry to chart a new course for the people, particularly in roads infrastructure with emphasis on network of roads in Akamkpa, Yala and Boki LGAs in the next phase while Schools’ renovations will also be given top priority as well as full operations of the State Scholarship Board.
The Governor announced the lifting of the ban on employment in the State with the approval of additional 2000 Staff to be added immediately to the State Workforce and praised residents of the State who are now willingly paying their taxes on their own which has helped to raise last month’s State IGR to ₦6.3 Billion, adding that this confidence and trust from the citizenry is an affirmation that Government is using their money well.
Governor Otu commended members of the EXCO, the Speaker and members of the Cross River State House of Assembly, Security Agencies and other Stakeholders for the synergy and massive support, concluding that all these efforts put together have left the State far better within the period.
After exhaustive consideration of some Memos brought before Council, EXCO approved and ratified the following:
1. The Procurement of digital Printing Machines and Accessories for the Cross River State Government Printing Press
2. The comprehensive rehabilitation of the Old Residency Museum and the Museum Kitchen in Calabar
3. 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 UBEC Matching Grants to the State.
4. Approved the Executive Order No. 1 of 2024 for the Protection of Mining Communities Against Insecurity, Exploitation and Collection of Surface Rents from Mining Entities.
6. Approved the payment of USD100,000,000 as Seed Fund for the Expression of Interest in the Immunization Plus and Malaria Progress for Accelerating coverage and Transformation Services Impact Project.
7. Approval for the release of ₦200 Million as part of payment to Land Owners along Odukpani Junction -Itu Road being balance of the total ₦400 Million earlier approved for the same Project.
8. The payment of ₦200 Million Basic Health Care Provision Fund in the State.
9. Ratification of the release of the sum of ₦450 Million only as counterpart Fund for Nigeria For Women Project(NFWP) to enable the offial take-off of the project.
10. Approved the adoption of the draft Bill for the amendment of the Cross River State Roads Maintenance Agency Law No. 5 of 2009
11. Finally, Council also approved the Draft Bill for a Law to Amend the Cross River State Audit Law No. 8 of 2021.
Thank you all and God bless Cross River State.
Erasmus Ekpang, PhD, anipr, ftifuh
Commissioner for Information, Cross River state
