The newly appointed Cross River State Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Pastor Ekpenyong Cobham, has vowed to transform the State's information sector, promising a more proactive, transparent, and citizen-focused approach to governance communication. Speaking during the official handover ceremony from his predecessor, Dr. Erasmus Ekpang, at the Ministry of Information Headquarters in Calabar on Tuesday, Pastor Cobham outlined his vision for repositioning the ministry to better disseminate government policies and programmes through digital platforms, community engagement, and strategic partnerships. "You understand, I am a media person. I have always been in the forefront of agitations and trying to restore things back to normalcy," Cobham stated. "Coming to the Ministry of Information, my predecessor has completed his bit, and I'm coming with new energy and a whole lot of new ideas to do things differently. We'll face challenges, but I want to assure you, we'll surmount them all." The new Commissioner, who has served as a member of the State Executive Council for three years in the Ministry of Transportation, emphasised his commitment to innovation and efficiency in line with Governor Bassey Otu's "People First" agenda. "For three years, I've been part of the decision-making process at the State Executive Council, and I can assure you that the Council is on the proper trajectory under the leadership of His Excellency, the Governor, to restore Cross River on the path of development. My assumption here today is part of his decision to rejig the entire Executive, and for me, it's like a fish returning to water," he elucidated. Cobham called for unity and diligence among staff, stating: "This is our project. If Cross River works, we all succeed. If it fails, we all fail," assuring an open-door policy founded on teamwork, professionalism, and commitment to excellence. Earlier, the outgoing Commissioner for Information, Dr. Erasmus Ekpang, now deployed to the Ministry of Lands, expressed gratitude to Governor Otu for the opportunity to serve, describing his three-year tenure as rewarding and exposing him to the media world far beyond his professional background. Ekpang commended the Ministry's management and staff for their unwavering support and urged them to extend the same cooperation to his successor. He expressed confidence that Pastor Cobham, as a media professional, would build on existing achievements and further reposition the ministry for greater service delivery.
In his vote of thanks, the Permanent Secretary, Mr. Anthony Asuquo Okon, commended Dr. Ekpang for his fatherly disposition and pledged the staff’s unalloyed support to the new Commissioner to drive the Ministry’s mandate successfully.
By Nakanda Iyadim, Effiom Solomon & Benedicta Otu
