Ministries and departments in Cross River State have commenced the 2025 budget defense of their ministries.
The defense, which is ongoing in the Assembly complex of the State House of Assembly, saw the Chairman, House Committee on Finance and Appropriation, Hon. Cyril James Omini lauded the Information cluster in the State for its efforts in publicizing government’s activities and programs.
The Committee Chairman stated this during budget defense by the Ministry of Information and parastatals under it.
He expressed optimism that the sector would do better if some of its challenges are addressed. He however encouraged the cluster to work harder to improve its revenue in the next fiscal year.
The Chairman, House Committee on Information, Hon. Thomas Aruku (Ogoja) intimated that the cluster will do better in its budget performance in 2025. Hon Aruku expressed his Committee’s readiness to synergize with the information cluster in the overall interest of the State.
In his presentation, the Commissioner for Information, Dr. Erasmus Ekpang, highlighted its mandate, challenges as well as efforts to rebrand the sector, adding that when the newly acquired “state of the art” equipment for the printing press are installed, the ministry will do better in its budget performance.
Ekpang in an interview with journalists after the defense, expressed confidence that with the new equipment purchased for the Printing Press and other interventions, the cluster’s revenue will significantly improve in the 2025 fiscal year.
His words: “We actually acknowledge the fact that our revenue generation is low but by the grace of God with His Excellency keen interest in the information sector we will do better next year.
“We have already procured some equipment to upgrade our facilities and that will help us to perform better.
“I used the opportunity to appeal to the committee to work on those revenue heads to enable us achieve what we intend to achieve in 2025.
The Commissioner was accompanied by the GM, CRBC, Calabar, Mr. Samuel Nsor, DG CRISSA, Mr. Ubong Samuel, Permanent Secretary, Ntunkae Offiong Ani, GM Chronicle Ms Keyu Edet and the acting GM, CRBC, Ikom, Mrs. Comfort Manyo.
Other MDAs that defended their budget include the Ministry of Education and the parastatals under it, Ministry of Tourism and Culture and its parastatals, Department of Debt Management, Ministry of water Resources/CRS Water Board Limited amongst others.
Mary Bassey, House of Assembly Correspondent
