Gov Otu unveils N987.8bn 2027 budget, allocates N246bn to infrastructure

Cross River State Governor, Bassey Otu, on Wednesday presented a proposed budget of N987.8 billion for the 2027 fiscal year to the State House of Assembly, with N246.1 billion earmarked for infrastructure.

Otu described the proposal as a budget of “consolidation and renewed hope”, saying it was designed to sustain the state’s development trajectory while addressing critical infrastructure and socio-economic needs.

Presenting the appropriation bill in Calabar, the governor said the 2027 budget would focus on infrastructure, agriculture, healthcare, education, aviation, tourism and human capital development.

According to him, the proposal was anchored on fiscal responsibility and the need to ensure sustainable development without compromising the state’s future.

Otu said his administration had not obtained fresh domestic or external loans since assuming office in 2023, noting that the debt inherited from previous administrations had constrained the pace of development.

He explained that substantial resources that could have been channelled into development had been diverted to debt servicing, adding that the administration had instead focused on expanding the state’s tax base, improving internally generated revenue and leveraging support from development partners and public-private partnerships.

Giving an appraisal of the 2026 budget, the governor said its implementation had been affected by foreign exchange volatility, debt repayment obligations, rising operational costs and supply chain disruptions.

He said the state subsequently passed a supplementary budget to adjust the spending framework and accommodate emerging economic realities.

Otu said his administration had constructed and rehabilitated more than 608 kilometres of roads across the three senatorial districts in fulfilment of its infrastructure agenda.

In agriculture, he said the government had distributed 20,000 bags of fertiliser to 8,000 farmers, established a 50,000-hectare rice project and supported more than 5,300 livestock farmers.

He added that more than one million improved oil palm, cowpea and cocoa seedlings had been distributed free of charge to farmers, while grants, loans and agricultural machinery had also been provided to boost production.

On healthcare, Otu listed the renovation of general hospitals, procurement of medical supplies and equipment, improved access to essential medicines and increased immunisation coverage among the administration’s achievements.

He also said the government had introduced regulatory reforms in the health sector and increased the retirement age of health workers from 60 to 65 years.

In education, the governor said the government had facilitated the construction of 449 classrooms, the rehabilitation of 15 classroom blocks and the installation of solar power systems in schools through intervention and counterpart funding.

He said the state had also paid WAEC examination fees for 45,694 indigenous students, promoted more than 14,000 teaching and non-teaching staff, and recruited 200 science and technical teachers.

Otu further disclosed that the number of public secondary schools in the state had increased from 276 to 308 during the year.

For the 2027 fiscal year, the governor proposed a budget of N987.808 billion, representing an increase of about 2.57 per cent over the previous budget.

Of the total proposal, N708.426 billion, representing 71.72 per cent, was allocated to capital expenditure, while N279.382 billion, representing 28.28 per cent, was earmarked for recurrent expenditure.

Apart from infrastructure, which received the largest allocation of N246.1 billion, other major allocations included N85.4 billion for health, N39.6 billion for education, N28.2 billion for agriculture, N21.8 billion for aviation, N20.2 billion for government, N19.1 billion for the judiciary, N16.6 billion for power and N11.8 billion for tourism.

The governor said the 2027 budget would prioritise the completion of ongoing projects while initiating new interventions capable of stimulating economic growth and improving livelihoods.

He said the administration would continue to construct roads and bridges, reactivate existing industries and deepen collaboration with the private sector.

Otu also reaffirmed the government’s commitment to food security, saying agriculture would remain a major pillar of the state’s economic transformation strategy.

He said the government would strengthen agricultural value chains, support farmers and promote the state’s forestry and green economy initiatives.

Earlier, the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Elvert Ayambem, assured the governor that the legislature would subject the estimates to thorough and rigorous scrutiny before passage.

Ayambem said the 10th Assembly remained committed to providing legislative support for the administration’s development agenda while ensuring effective oversight of government projects and programmes.

The Speaker commended the governor for investments in infrastructure, agriculture, tourism, healthcare, education and human capital development.

However, he appealed to Otu to urgently rehabilitate the State House of Assembly complex and Assembly Village, which he described as being in a deplorable condition.

Ayambem also requested the governor’s support for lawmakers to participate in international conferences, workshops and seminars to broaden their exposure to legislative practices and improve their capacity.

He assured the governor that the Assembly would carefully consider the 2027 appropriation bill and ensure that its provisions reflected the needs and aspirations of Cross River residents.