In a major bid to expand educational opportunities and streamline student welfare benefits, the Governor of Cross River State, Senator Prince Bassey Edet Otu, has approved the constitution of the Cross River State Bursary Steering Committee.
The announcement was contained in a press release issued on July 1, 2026, by the Chief Press Secretary and Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the Governor, Linus Obogo.
According to the statement, the newly formed committee will be chaired by Prof. Paul Itari, who also serves as the Chairman of the Cross River State Scholarship Board. Other members appointed to the steering committee include Comrade Kelvin Enyam, Mr. Matthew Ochiche, and Comrade Abini Okoi, while Dr. Emmanuel Duke will serve as the committee's Secretary.
The committee has been handed a robust mandate to overhaul and optimize the State’s student aid distribution. Specifically, they are tasked with developing a transparent bursary application model, designing an efficient data collection and payment framework, and engaging critical stakeholders within the education sector.
The team is expected to eliminate existing administrative bottlenecks and recommend forward-thinking strategies. These measures are intended to guarantee a credible, inclusive, and highly accountable bursary administration process.
The release emphasized that this initiative directly aligns with the Governor Otu administration's overarching commitment to broadening educational access and providing sustainable support for Cross River students.
