Cross River State Governor, Bassey Otu, has returned to Calabar after a three-week annual leave, declaring that he is back with “renewed vigor and a double dose of energy” to accelerate the transformation of the state.
Addressing a crowd of supporters and government officials at the Margaret Ekpo International Airport in Calabar, the governor reaffirmed his commitment to delivering on his administration’s development blueprint, stating that the short break had recharged him for more excellent service.
“I thank God for His grace because the strength He has given me is immeasurable, unimaginable,” he said, adding that his government had a manifesto to deliver to the people. He, however, said that in this second year in office, he can already boast that some of those promises are coming to fruition.
He revealed that part of his time away was spent on a critical state assignment, inspecting and conducting due diligence on two aircraft acquired to ease the travel burden of air passengers in and out of Calabar. The process, he noted, was rigorous, involving over 200,000 pages of documentation and detailed physical inspections.
“We had to go through every bolt, every screw. It was painstaking but necessary to ensure safety and accountability,” Otu explained. He disclosed that both aircraft are in the final stages of clearance and are expected to arrive in the state within a few weeks.
Otu further assured that the solid foundation his administration has laid is beginning to yield results. “We have planted the seeds. Now we must nurture them to harvest,” he said.
He also highlighted the arrival of major federal projects in the state, including the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone initiative and the long-anticipated flag-off of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway. The governor described these as historic milestones that fully integrate Cross River into the national economic grid.
