NGScorecard

Pledged to reclaim and revive the Tinapa Business and Leisure Resort from federal control and restore it as a hub for trade, tourism, and creative enterprise.

In November 2025, AMCON formally handed Tinapa back to the Cross River State Government after 14 years of federal control. Governor Otu described the handover as a 'rebirth' of the state's economy and announced discussions with credible investors. However, as of mid-2026, the resort was not yet fully operational, with the governor promising it would 'come back to life before December.'

Committed to extensive road construction and rehabilitation across Cross River State, including urban dual carriageways and rural access roads, using innovative materials such as concrete pavement.

The administration delivered multiple road projects including the dualisation of the Esuk Utan–NNPC Depot Road, rehabilitation of key urban roads, concrete pavement roads leveraging local quarries in Akamkpa LGA, and internal road networks for security agencies (Air Force, Police HQ, Civil Defence). Rural road projects were also undertaken, though some remote areas remained in poor condition.

Promised to build on the aviation legacy of predecessors by expanding the state-owned Cally Air fleet to improve connectivity and support tourism development.

The administration acquired two new CRJ 1000 jets in August 2025, bringing the fleet to four aircraft, with plans to expand to seven. A Boeing 737 was also added. Vice President Kashim Shettima inaugurated the new aircraft at Margaret Ekpo International Airport. The governor cited aviation as key to the state's tourism-driven economic strategy.

Committed to advancing the Bakassi Deep Seaport as a flagship project to reposition Cross River as a major maritime trade and logistics hub in West Africa.

In December 2024, Governor Otu flagged off the hydrographic, geophysical, and geotechnical survey for the seaport. A 275km evacuation corridor was planned, and stakeholder sensitisation forums were held. The project received Federal Executive Council approval and was projected to generate up to ₦40 billion monthly. However, actual construction had not commenced as of mid-2026.

Pledged to transform agriculture from subsistence into an engine for industrialization and job creation, focusing on oil palm, cassava, cocoa, and coffee value chains.

The administration distributed 625,000 sprouted oil palm nuts from NIFOR, 1.2 metric tons of fertilizer, and over 24 metric tons each of rice and maize. It cultivated 600 hectares of cassava, empowered 2,000 smallholder farmers, launched a Homestead Farming Programme, and established a Cassava Value Chain Policy. A committee for cocoa, coffee, and oil palm was inaugurated. However, large-scale agro-industrial processing facilities remained limited.

Committed to building an inclusive, responsive healthcare system and achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) for all Cross River residents by 2027.

The administration recruited 204 health professionals, upgraded the Essential Drugs Programme Complex, established a Fistula Centre, commissioned two oxygen plants, upgraded four Schools of Nursing to Colleges of Nursing Sciences, and appointed a 13-member CRSHIA Governing Board. Over 39,000 enrollees were registered under the BHCPF. Free healthcare was provided to pregnant women, children under five, and the elderly under the Health Palliative Program. However, UHC by 2027 remained aspirational with most residents still uninsured.

Pledged to address the backlog of unpaid gratuities and pensions owed to retired civil servants, some dating back to 2009.

In July 2024, Governor Otu approved ₦10 billion to pay part of the gratuity backlog covering retirees from 2009 to 2015, with payments commencing in August 2024. An audit uncovered over 2,000 ghost pensioners who were expunged from the payroll. However, the full historical backlog was not eliminated, and the administration later sought a ₦24 billion loan to clear remaining pension arrears.

Promised to combat kidnapping, armed robbery, and violent crime that had triggered capital flight and fear across the state, particularly in Akpabuyo and border areas.

The administration launched 'Operation Okwok,' equipped security agencies with vehicles and logistics, and constructed internal roads for security formations. The governor claimed hundreds of militants surrendered and disarmed, and that Akpabuyo—once notorious for kidnapping—became peaceful. However, the NUJ continued to raise concerns over worsening insecurity in some parts of the state, and the governor acknowledged security remained a work in progress.

Pledged to upgrade educational institutions, monitor standards, and improve the quality of basic and secondary education across the state.

Over 300 schools were actively monitored for standards, more than 4,000 teachers were promoted, and the Secondary Education Board surpassed its revenue target by 134%. The Technical Education Board was revitalized with STEM learning initiatives. However, uneven education quality persisted across the state's 18 local government areas, and the administration's two-year scorecard did not cite major infrastructure investments in classrooms comparable to other sectors.

Committed to growing the state's IGR to reduce dependence on federal allocations and fund the ambitious infrastructure and social programmes.

The administration significantly expanded the budget from ₦297 billion in 2024 to ₦780.6 billion proposed for 2026, and the state's revenue base grew. The 2025 MTEF projected IGR at ₦47.3 billion, up from lower baseline figures. However, the budget remained heavily dependent on federal statutory allocations (₦241 billion projected for 2025) and deficit financing (₦141.9 billion in 2024), with IGR still a minority share of total revenue.