Otu Presents N987.8bn 2027 Budget, Earmarks N246.1bn For Infrastructure

The Cross River State Governor, Bassey Otu, on Wednesday presented a N987.8 billion appropriation bill for the 2027 fiscal year to the Cross River State House of Assembly, with infrastructure taking the lion’s share of N246.1 billion.

The budget, christened “Budget of Consolidation and Renewed Hope”, comprises N708.43 billion for capital expenditure, representing 71.72 per cent, and N279.38 billion for recurrent expenditure, representing 28.28 per cent of the total estimate of N987,808,089,235.92.

Presenting the budget before lawmakers in Calabar, Otu said the proposal represents a 2.57 per cent increase over the 2026 budget and was prepared within the 2027-2029 Medium-Term Expenditure Framework to consolidate his administration’s achievements.

He said the huge allocation to infrastructure and road development was deliberate to sustain the over 608 kilometres of roads already constructed across the three senatorial districts, rural electrification projects, and other key projects.

The state Chief Executive Officer said, “The substantial capital allocation reflects our commitment to prioritise infrastructure, human capital development and productive investment to stimulate economic activities.”

Otu disclosed that his administration has not taken any fresh domestic or foreign loans since assuming office in 2023, stressing that the current debt burden was inherited and worsened by the naira devaluation. “I cannot, and will never mortgage the future of our children with unsustainable loans,” he declared.

Other sectoral allocations include education N99.6 billion, health N85.4 billion, agriculture N28.2 billion and aviation N21.8 billion. At the same time, the governor also highlighted investments in five aircraft for the state fleet, 730 electric vehicles and Federal Government approval for the $3.5 billion Bakassi Deep Seaport.

Earlier, Speaker of the Cross River State House of Assembly, CRHA, Rt. Hon. Elvert Ayambem, while welcoming Governor Bassey Otu to the hallowed chamber for the presentation of the 2027 Appropriation Bill, said the governor’s presence was not just a constitutional requirement under Section 121 of the 1999 Constitution, but also a demonstration of respect for democratic institutions, the separation of powers, transparency, and accountability.

He said the Executive-Legislature relationship under the “People First” mantra has yielded strides in infrastructure, agriculture, tourism, healthcare, education, and human capital development, stressing that the 10th Assembly has passed critical bills and performed oversight of the 2026 budget.

He told the Cross River story at COP17 in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, in August 2026, about climate change impacts. He commended the governor’s zero-tolerance stance against cultism and kidnapping, which has restored peace to the state, making it possible to once again call on investors to “Come And Live And Be At Rest (CALABAR)”. He assured Otu of re-election in February 2027.

Ayambem assured that the Assembly will subject the 2027 estimates to thorough, rigorous and expeditious scrutiny through engagements with MDAs to ensure even development, while appealing for support for members to attend international conferences and for urgent intervention to renovate the deplorable Assembly Complex and Assembly Village.