Efik Nsibidi Heritage Shines
A Nipss delegation visits Calabar to showcase Efik Kingdom history and Nsibidi heritage at the Obong of Calabar’s palace, Calabar, Cross River State. The visit centers nsibidi symbols and Efik cultural traditions, highlighting ongoing collaborations to document and preserve Cross River’s ancestral knowledge. Officials say the event strengthens cultural links and educational programs for local communities and students across Calabar and beyond.
Cross River Leads Orange Economy
Governor Bassey Otu announces that Cross River State will spearhead Nigeria’s orange economy drive, positioning coffee alongside cocoa and oil palm as major export crops. The initiative, unveiled in Calabar, outlines a seven-year plan (2024–2032) with 30 million subsidised coffee seedlings for smallholders and a Coffee Commodity Exchange to connect farmers to buyers. The program aims to create jobs, boost foreign exchange, and expand market access while ensuring sustainable farming outside protected forests.
Mensah Inspects Landslide Areas
Cross River State Commissioner for Environment, Barr. Bassey Mensah, undertakes an on-the-spot assessment of landslide-prone areas in the Calabar Metropolis and Akpabuyo Local Government Area on August 11, 2026. He visits Anansa, the WAPI Junction drainage desilting works, and the Ikot Offiong Mbiang gully site to evaluate environmental degradation and damage. Mensah says the Ministry will work with technical experts and NEWMAP to implement interventions to safeguard lives and property. He commends Governor Otu’s environmental agenda and pledges decisive action.
NDLEA seeks stronger partnerships
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) chair, Brig.-Gen. Mohamed Marwa (Rtd), says Nigeria must build stronger partnerships with government agencies, civil society, the media, and women’s and youth groups to curb drug abuse. Speaking in Abuja during a courtesy visit from INWOAD founder Lady Evelyn Onyilo, he stressed prevention, education and community mobilisation, with mothers and families a key focus. The partnership will support workshops and a October 2026 Women’s Leadership Summit in Abuja, affecting communities nationwide, including Cross River residents and schools.
Delta’s teacher tracking model
The Universal Basic Education Commission says Delta State’s Attend360 teacher attendance system could strengthen accountability and learning nationwide. UBEC Chief Executive Aisha Garba announced the comments in Abuja during a Delta-hosted courtesy visit at the 30th UBEC Management meeting with state SUBEB chairmen. The policy aims to ensure teachers are present and engaged, with Cross River and other states urged to maximise UBEC resources to boost basic education and classroom outcomes.
Cross River Man Arrested Online
Cross River businessman Denis Odama was arrested in Lagos on Sunday, August 9, 2026, after police said he bullied Governor Bassey Otu on social media. Odama, a Bekwarra native, was reportedly picked up at FESTAC Town and transported to Calabar for questioning. The arrest followed a social-media post from a kinsman suggesting the governor’s online critics were being targeted. Odama’s case highlights ongoing tensions between online commentary and state leadership, with officials promising due process and further investigations to determine underlying motives and possible contractual links.
Cross Riverian Seeks Survival Help
Daniel Imo, a 44-year-old indigene of Adadama in Abi Local Government Area, is appealing to the local and state government, the Federal Government, and well-meaning Nigerians for support. He has been bedridden for 23 years after a workplace accident on October 10, 2003, in Onitsha, Anambra State, which left him with a cervical spinal cord injury. Medically unable to raise funds for surgery, his family now seeks daily feeding, medications, and rehabilitation aid, with donors invited to contribute to his UBA account 2072008766.
Oborevwori on Niger Delta security
The Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, has urged Major General Everest Okoro, the new General Officer Commanding of the Nigerian Army’s 6 Division in Port Harcourt, to intensify security operations across the Niger Delta. Speaking during a courtesy visit to the Government House in Asaba, Oborevwori emphasizes that lasting peace protects lives, businesses, and critical infrastructure, enabling economic growth. Okoro commits to strengthened security coordination, as the region faces oil-theft and other threats. The governor pledges State support to security agencies to maintain stability for residents and investors.
Mensah Moves Mobil/MCC Traders
The Cross River State Commissioner for Environment, Barr. Bassey Mensah, announces plans to relocate roadside traders along the Mobil/MCC Highway to the Fruit Arcade at Ikot Ishie. The move, disclosed on August 11, 2026, aims to improve sanitation, ease traffic, and enhance the area’s appearance. The government, in collaboration with the Obutong Traditional Council and community stakeholders, will shift traders to designated market spaces to promote a cleaner, orderly environment.
Nigeria expands cancer care
The Federal Government will procure 25 new linear accelerators between 2027 and 2029 to boost cancer treatment capacity nationwide, under the NCCP 2026–2030 framework. The initiative, announced in Abuja at the NCCP Technical Working Group and Global Advisory Council meeting, aims to reduce late presentations and strengthen facilities, training, and partnerships. Six Cancer Centres of Excellence are under construction, with three completed. Cross River residents can anticipate expanded access to advanced cancer care as the program rolls out.
FG urges BOA financing
The Federal Government calls on the Bank of Agriculture to adopt innovative financing and blended arrangements to expand access to farm credit across Nigeria, including Cross River communities. At a BOA governing board retreat in Abuja, the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security outlined plans to use guarantees and credit-enhancement schemes to reduce lending risks and support smallholder farmers, cooperatives, and agribusinesses. The move aims to boost food production, strengthen value chains, and promote agro-processing, with implementation through partnerships with states and development partners.
Cross River Halts Clan Creation
Cross River State Governor, Bassey Otu, has ordered the immediate termination of the ongoing Clan and Village Creation exercise, stating that the process was neither authorised nor approved by his administration and lacks the imprimatur of the State Government. The directive, conveyed by the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Ededem Ani, notes a pending High Court case and directs that all activities tied to the exercise—including processing, verification, or publication of any Clan or Village Creation List—be terminated forthwith. No further steps may be taken toward creating or recognizing clan or village status without prior approval from His Excellency the Governor. Officials are expected to comply immediately and await further directive.
Egumi Takes Cross River Transport
Hon. Kingsley Egumi has assumed office as the Cross River State Commissioner for Transportation, delivering his first address at the ministry in Calabar on August 12, 2026. He outlines a collaborative, people-first approach to reposition the ministry, focusing on understanding operations, addressing challenges, and improving service delivery. The new commissioner invites staff and stakeholders to contribute ideas through official channels, signaling an inclusive leadership style aimed at delivering an efficient transportation system for residents and local businesses alike.
Red Cross Targets Biase
The Nigerian Red Cross Society, with support from the IFRC, has launched a 10-day anticipatory action operation in Cross River State to boost flood preparedness and reduce potential humanitarian impact during the 2026 rainy season. In Biase and Calabar South, authorities will conduct early warning dissemination, public awareness campaigns, evacuation preparedness, community engagement, and WASH interventions, including school-based flood-risk education. Coordination meetings began August 11, 2026, with activities slated through August 21, involving CR-SEMA, government agencies, and local communities.
FG Digitalises Cooperatives
The Federal Government is moving to digitalise Nigeria’s cooperative sector under the Renewed Hope Cooperative Reform and Revamp Programme to boost transparency and access to finance. In Abuja, Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Aliyu Abdullahi, announced the National Cooperative Smart Registry, CVN, and CoopID to connect cooperatives with markets and government programs. Cross River institutions and farmers stand to benefit from verifiable identities and improved data for subsidies and credit under RH-CRRP 2030.