The Cross River State Government has restated its commitment to transparent and inclusive governance through sustained citizen engagement.
Special Adviser to the Governor on Budget Monitoring and Evaluation, Mr. Otu Ita, stated this during the Southern Senatorial District leg of the 2026 Budget Consultative Forum at Metropolitan Hotel, Calabar.
The forum, which drew traditional rulers, lawmakers, civil society groups, women leaders, market leaders, and youth representatives, was aimed at reviewing the performance of the 2025 budget and gathering inputs from stakeholders to shape the 2026 fiscal plan.
The budget Consultative Forum was organized by UNICEF and the Department of Budget Monitoring and Evaluation.
Similar consultative sessions had earlier been held in Ikom and Ogoja for the Central and Northern Senatorial Districts respectively, underscoring the Otu administration’s firm belief that every region and community deserves a voice in the state’s development agenda.
In his opening remarks, Governor Otu, through hid Special Adviser to the Governor on Budget Monitoring and Evaluation, Mr. Otu Ita, described the exercise as a practical demonstration of Governor Bassey Otu’s People-First philosophy, anchored on inclusion, transparency, and citizen participation in governance.
He explained that the series of zonal budget consultations reflects the government’s resolve to institutionalize a bottom-up planning process that captures the real needs of communities across the state.
“This is governance driven by the people and for the people. The Governor has made it clear that the 2026 Budget must emerge from citizens’ priorities, not from the desk of bureaucrats alone,” he said.
He emphasized that the Southern Consultative Forum offers stakeholders in the district an opportunity to contribute meaningfully to the state’s fiscal direction, ensuring that no community is left behind in the budgeting process.
The Chairman, House Committee on Finance and Appropriation, Hon. Okon Owuna, commended the participatory budgeting process, describing it as a hallmark of responsible governance.
He assured participants that the House of Assembly remains committed to approving a budget that reflects the collective aspirations of Cross Riverians.
“These consultative meetings in Ogoja, Ikom, and now Calabar, ensure that every senatorial district has a voice. That is what participatory democracy should look like,” Owuna said.
He highlighted the need to sustain funding for key sectors such as road infrastructure, agriculture, and education to drive inclusive development across the state.
The Commissioner for Finance, Dr. Mike Odere, applauded the robust citizen turnout, noting that it reflects the growing trust in Governor Otu’s People-First administration.
He said the government’s approach to fiscal planning is deliberately transparent, ensuring that both revenues and expenditures are publicly accounted for.
“Cross River State is redefining public finance management. We are making our budgeting process participatory, our tax system fair, and our projects people-centered,” he said, assuring that fiscal discipline will remain the bedrock of the 2026 budget.
In her remarks, the Accountant General of the State, Dr. (Mrs.) Glory Effiong, commended Governor Otu’s leadership for strengthening institutional efficiency and restoring public confidence in governance.
She noted that under the current administration, service delivery has improved significantly, with faster project clearances, prompt approvals, and better coordination across ministries.
“This is a government that values both the aged, the youth, and even generations yet unborn,” she said.