Cross River State Governor, Sen. Prince Bassey Edet Otu, has been honoured with the Governor of the Year Award for Economic Revitalisation by Blueprint Newspapers Limited for his administration’s strides in agriculture, investment, infrastructure and economic development.
Otu, who was represented at the award ceremony by his Special Adviser on Media, Abuja, Mr Emmanuel Ogbeche, received the award on Tuesday, August 17, 2026, at the Bola Ahmed International Conference Centre, Abuja.
Other dignitaries honoured in the ceremony include the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Prof. Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda, Governor of Zamfara State, Dr. Dauda Lawal, Former Governor of Zamfara State, Abdulaziz Yari, and Tantita Security Outfit among others.
Reacting, Otu said the award was a major incentive for his administration to intensify its efforts towards improving the welfare of Cross Riverians, stressing that the government’s People First agenda remained the driving force behind its policies and programmes.
“Ever since then, we have continued to invest in Cross Riverians, create enabling environment for investors and seek for new opportunities and prospects in this regard,” the governor said.
He said his administration had identified economic and agricultural development as key pillars for building a progressive and sustainable state capable of meeting the aspirations of its citizens.
According to him, the recovery of the Tinapa Business and Leisure Resort from the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria, AMCON, marked a significant milestone in the state’s economic revival.
“The recovery of Tinapa symbolised not just the reclaiming of a major asset but the revival of a vision that once placed Cross River on the global economic map. The return of Tinapa is not merely an event, it is a rebirth, the triumph of faith, patience and resilience,” Otu said.
He disclosed that the state government planned to reposition Tinapa as a Free Zone and a major hub for trade, tourism and creative enterprise, adding that the administration was already engaging credible investors and partners to transform the facility into a vibrant centre of commerce and job creation.
The governor also highlighted his administration’s agricultural initiatives, saying Cross River was strategically positioned to contribute significantly to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s ambition of growing Nigeria’s economy to $1 trillion.
He said the state had embarked on extensive investment in high-yield crops following soil testing, with the objectives of boosting exports, creating jobs and strengthening food security.
Otu disclosed that the state had partnered multinational agribusiness company, JR Farms, on an initiative to cultivate 30 million coffee seedlings across Cross River, with the ambition of making the state one of the largest coffee cultivation centres in Nigeria and the sub-region.
He added that the government had allocated more than 3,400 hectares of cocoa farmland to smallholder farmers under the Cross River State Smallholder Cocoa Allocation Scheme, while also distributing sprouted oil palm nuts to farmers to increase production.
Under the Project Grow initiative, the governor said the state had introduced a six-year, N30 billion digitally enabled commercial agriculture credit guarantee scheme to improve farmers’ access to finance and expand agribusiness activities.
He further listed the distribution of fertilisers, seeds, herbicides and pesticides to farmers under the government’s Smallholder Farm Input Support Project as part of efforts to strengthen agricultural productivity.
Beyond agriculture, Otu pointed to ongoing infrastructure and tourism investments, including the Obudu cargo airport, which he said was more than 90 per cent completed, and the expansion of the state-owned Cally Air fleet to four aircraft, with two new Bombardier aircraft acquired by the government.
He also highlighted the return of the Carnival Calabar, describing it as a major tourism asset that had continued to grow under his administration.
“We have always been known as the premier destination for tourism and we want to place it firmly also on the investment map,” he said, inviting Nigerians and international visitors to experience the state’s hospitality during this year’s carnival.
On the maritime economy, Otu said his administration was pursuing the development of the Bakassi Deep Seaport, describing it as central to the industrial future of Cross River and a project capable of unlocking regional economic opportunities.
He disclosed that the state had secured $3.5 billion in funding from Afreximbank for the project, while commending the Federal Government for including the Bakassi Deep Seaport among projects recognised under the National Policy on Marine and Blue Economy.
According to him, the seaport would not only serve Cross River but would also constitute a national asset capable of strengthening Nigeria’s position in global maritime trade.
Otu attributed the progress recorded by his administration partly to the support of President Tinubu, particularly the increase in allocations to state governments.
He expressed optimism that Nigeria was on the path of sustainable economic growth, urging Nigerians to continue supporting the Tinubu administration as the country navigates its current economic challenges.
While expressing appreciation to Blueprint Newspapers Limited for the honour, Otu assured the management and staff of the newspaper that his administration would regard the award as a call to greater service.
“We do not take this award for granted. It is an incentive to work even harder and we thank you for the honour,” he said.
Earlier in a keynote address, the Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa called for stronger intelligence coordination, cybersecurity and strategic communication ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Represented by his Senior Special Adviser on Policy and Strategy, retired Major General Olufemi Akinjobi, Musa warning that emerging digital threats could undermine public confidence in Nigeria’s democratic process.
He said election security could no longer be restricted to protecting polling units and electoral materials, as threats were increasingly emerging from cyberspace, misinformation, artificial intelligence-generated content, economic grievances and divisive narratives.
According to him, “the greatest threat to an election today may not necessarily be the individual carrying a weapon near a polling unit. It may well be the anonymous actor operating behind a computer screen.”
He urged security agencies and other stakeholders to adopt intelligence-led election planning, strengthen protection of electoral digital infrastructure and improve inter-agency coordination.
The minister also stressed the need for timely and accurate public communication, noting that misinformation could weaken citizens’ trust in democratic institutions.
He called on political parties, candidates, the media, civil society, traditional and religious leaders and citizens to prioritise peaceful participation, stressing that political competition must not be treated as warfare.
Musa said the ultimate objective of the 2027 elections should be to strengthen democratic confidence, preserve national unity and ensure that Nigeria emerges stronger and more secure after the polls.
