After Inspecting Projects, NUJ Gives Otu Administration Vote Of Confidence

CALABAR, CROSS RIVER – The leadership of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), South-South Zone, has given a vote of confidence in the Cross River State Government’s development efforts, declaring that the impact of governance under Governor Bassey Edet Otu, is visible across key sectors.

The Vice President of NUJ Zone F (South-South), Mr. Opaka Dokubo, made the assessment on Saturday after leading a delegation of journalists from the region on an inspection tour of major projects executed by the state government in Calabar.

The inspection, according to Dokubo, was aimed at enabling journalists to independently assess government interventions and verify claims of development across the state.

Speaking after the tour, Dokubo said the team was impressed by the level of ongoing projects, noting that the physical evidence on ground informed the union’s position on the administration’s performance.

“We can boldly say that governance truly works here because we have seen it for ourselves. There are not many states where the impact of government is this visible,” he said.

The NUJ delegation inspected several projects, including the Marina Resort, where the government is supporting the development of the Blake Resort through a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement, the rebuilt Cross River State Library, and the ongoing reconstruction of the Nigerian Chronicle complex.

Dokubo said the projects demonstrated a deliberate effort by the administration to restore public infrastructure, revive abandoned state assets and reposition Cross River for sustainable economic growth.

He particularly highlighted the government’s renewed focus on tourism, saying investments in critical tourism facilities were gradually restoring the state’s position as one of Nigeria’s leading tourism destinations.

According to him, Cross River, which once struggled with the decline of some of its major economic assets, was witnessing a gradual transformation through targeted government interventions.

The NUJ leader also described the renovated Cross River State Library as a significant investment in education and human capital development.

“The library is a world-class centre for learning and research. It shows commitment to knowledge development and the future of young people in the state,” he said.

On the Nigerian Chronicle complex, Dokubo expressed satisfaction with the pace and quality of reconstruction work, recalling that the facility suffered extensive damage during the EndSARS protests.

He said the revival of the newspaper establishment would restore its relevance as one of Nigeria’s historic media institutions.

The Vice President of the South-South NUJ further commended the relationship between the media and the state government, stressing that journalists remained important partners in promoting transparency and accountability.

He urged the administration to sustain the momentum and ensure that ongoing projects are completed to deliver maximum benefits to residents.

Dokubo added that the inspection provided journalists with firsthand evidence of government activities, saying the projects visited represented “tangible dividends” of governance in Cross River State.