…CSO and OGP Partners Call for Strengthening Accountability Mechanisms
Calabar –The Cross River State Government has disclosed that it generated a total revenue of ₦55.5 billion and spent ₦33.46 billion in the first quarter of 2025, with capital expenditure accounting for 35% of total spending NEGROIDHAVEN can report authoritatively.
The disclosure was made by Otu Ita Ita, the Special Adviser on Budget to Governor Bassey Edet Otu, during an engagement with civil society organisations (CSOs) and the media in Calabar during a Thursday engagement with non-state actors under the aegis of Budget Transparency and Accountability Network, BTAN.
Ita highlighted the budget performance indicators, noting that the state maintained a relatively balanced fiscal regime with allocations distributed across major budget lines:
“Capital expenditure stood at 35%, overheads at 50%, and debt servicing at 25%. That debt servicing percentage is likely to increase due to contractual obligations, but we remain committed to religiously servicing our debts,” he stated.
He cautioned that the opportunity cost of debt servicing was significant, saying, “Just imagine what that 25% would have done for education, healthcare, and other social services.”
Importantly, Ita clarified that Cross River state has not approached any entity to borrow funds in the current financial year, while reaffirming the state’s fiscal discipline and commitment to transparency.
In his remarks, Kingsley Eworo, Executive Secretary of BTAN in Cross River, raised concerns over the slow pace in constituting the Open Government Partnership (OGP) Steering Committee, and asked about engagement with key institutions such as the Office of the Accountant General.
“There are high expectations from the new administration. We want to see a functional action plan and proper inclusion of stakeholders in steering committee operations,” Eworo said.
The session also featured remarks from Ukeme Ekong of the OGP in Cross River, who called for renewed commitment to the State Action Plan and reactivation of the Steering Committee, which he described as not yet fully functional.
“The budget is already online. We just need to strengthen what’s been done, sustain the gains, and return to what we’ve signed up for under the OGP framework,” Ekong emphasized.
She called for better collaboration between government institutions, civil society, and the media to ensure that transparency, participation, and accountability remain active pillars of governance in the state.
The engagement between the Budget Office and non-state actors, signals growing interest in fiscal transparency, public participation, and the effective implementation of the Open Government Partnership in Cross River State.
With civil society calling for stronger institutional frameworks and the Budget Office pledging fiscal prudence, stakeholders say the state has a critical opportunity to rebuild public trust through accountability and inclusive governance.
