The Cross River State Commissioner for Information, Pastor Ekpenyong Cobham, has charged personnel of the Ministry to take the lead in shaping the narrative about government by professionally projecting its policies, programmes and achievements to the public.
The Commissioner gave the charge on Monday, August 17, 2026, during his maiden meeting with staff of the Ministry at the conference room, where he interacted with personnel, outlined his vision and communicated his expectations.
He described information officers as critical to the visibility and public image of government, stressing that their responsibilities extended beyond routine dissemination of official information. He said every staff member, irrespective of designation, had a role to play in strengthening the state’s information machinery.
Pastor Cobham urged information officers to improve their writing and communication skills, maximise social media platforms and adopt more effective approaches to communicating government programmes and policies. He stressed that the Ministry must be proactive in telling government’s story rather than allowing others to define its narrative.
“By your designation, you are a personification of this Ministry. In all facets of your daily life, you must keep that in mind and sell the government and the agency you are attached to,” he said, cautioning personnel against actions or comments capable of undermining the administration they served.
The Commissioner also expressed concern over negative attitudes to work among some personnel, particularly lateness, absenteeism and lack of commitment to assigned responsibilities. He warned that productivity and accountability would remain key considerations under his leadership, stressing that staff would be expected to justify the positions they occupied.
“Whoever works will chop. And if you are not ready to work, you don’t have any space here,” he stated, explaining that his management approach was informed by his experience in the private and aviation sectors, where regular performance assessments were used to determine productivity and identify areas requiring improvement.
He called on staff to work as a team, share information and maintain harmonious relationships, noting that the Ministry could only effectively discharge its mandate through unity and cooperation. He assured personnel of his willingness to support those committed to their responsibilities, while encouraging staff facing challenges to communicate such concerns for appropriate intervention.
The Commissioner further engaged personnel on challenges affecting information gathering and dissemination across the Ministry and its various agencies, stressing the need for an effective information clearing-house system to ensure that information generated from departments and agencies was properly coordinated and made available for public communication.
He urged personnel to remain committed to their duties, stressing that the collective responsibility of the Ministry was to ensure that government’s activities and achievements were effectively communicated to the people.
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mr. Anthony Asuquo Okon, welcomed the Commissioner and described the maiden meeting as an important opportunity for him to interact directly with personnel and communicate his vision and expectations. He assured the Commissioner of the cooperation of staff in advancing the mandate of the Ministry.
Also speaking, the Director of Administration, Mr. Emmanuel Otei, highlighted the importance of continuous in-house training, particularly for newly recruited personnel, to enable them understand the ethics, procedures and responsibilities of the civil service.
Otei stressed that sustained capacity building would enhance the competence of personnel and strengthen the Ministry’s ability to gather, process and disseminate information effectively.
Staff of the Ministry also used the interactive session to draw the Commissioner’s attention to issues affecting their welfare, working conditions and other emerging challenges confronting personnel in the discharge of their duties. They appealed to him to intervene in addressing the concerns, expressing the hope that his leadership would help create a more conducive working environment and enhance staff productivity and morale.
By Ibu Harrywills
