By Situs Uket (Calabar)
Cross River Governor, Prof. Ben has Tuesday sworn in 13 new commissioners.
The Governor also announced a minor cabinet reshuffle in two Ministries.
Speaking at the ceremony held at the State Executive Council Chamber, Governor’s Office, Calabar, Governor Ayade urged the new commissioners to work assiduously to ensure that his administration finished strong.
According to him, ” your coming on board is not by accident; you have been carefully selected based on your integrity and competence to bring your wealth of experiences to bear on our administration.”
“I, therefore, charge you to work assiduously to ensure that we finish strong as an administration. Your jobs are all cut out for you, I expect that you make our dear state proud,” the governor added.
Speaking on behalf of the new Commissioners, the new Commissioner for Health, Dr Janet Ekpenyong, commended the governor for finding them worthy to join him in the crystallization of Cross River state as well as in changing and transforming the state for the betterment of all.
Dr Ekpenyong, who was the Director-General of Cross River Primary HealthCare, assured that they would represent the governor well in their various ministries.
“We will work in line with your vision and plan for Cross River state”, the new Health Commissioner said.
The other newly sworn-in Commissioners and their portfolios are Mrs. Ekwele Agube (Sustainable Development), Prince Sunday Williams Awara (Social Housing), Hon. Wogor Umari (Homeland Security), Dr Hippolytus Lukputa (Water Resources), Patrick Ebam (Special Duties), Okama Inyang (Infrastructure).
Others include Janet Eyo Nsing (Climate Change), Hon. Goddy Ettah (Finance), Hon. Arikpo Pius Edet (Science and Technology), Ntufam Ekpenyong Effiom Iso (Culture and Tourism), Associate Professor Gertrude Njar (Women Affairs) and Alhaji Adamu Uba Musa (Inter-Governmental Affairs).
Also, the former Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Hon. Eric Anderson, was named the new Commissioner for Information while the former Commissioner for Sustainable Development, Oliver Orok, now takes charge of the Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources.
The new commissioners filled positions made vacant by their former occupants who left either to vie for elective offices or resigned following the governor’s defection to the All Progressives Congress, APC.
The swearing-in ceremony was attended by the state Deputy Governor, Prof. Evara Esu, the State Chief Judge, Justice Akon Ikpeme, the First Lady, Dr Linda Ayade among other top government functionaries and guests.
