Ayade Swears In Northerner, 12 Others As Commissioners

Cross River State governor, Ben Ayade has sworn in the first non-indigene Alhaji Adamu Uba Musa as commissioner for inter-governmental affairs in the state.

Musa becomes the first non-indigene and a Muslim to be appointed a commissioner of inter-governmental affairs in the state.

Ayade also sworn in 12 others to serve as commissioners to enable him complete his  tenure as governor of the state.

The changes in the cabinet provided opportunity for the former Nollywood star, Eric Anderson who was serving in the Ayade administration as commissioner for Culture and Tourism Development to be appointed as new Information and Orientation commissioner.

Other 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).

The rest are, Janet Eyo Nsing (Climate Change), Hon. Goddy Eta (Finance), Hon.Arikpo Pius Edet ( Science and Technology), Ntufam Ekpenyong Effiom Iso(Culture and Tourism), Associate Professor Gertrude Njar (Women Affairs), Alhaji Adamu Uba Musa (Inter-Governmental Affairs).

Hon. Eric Anderson, the former commissioner for Culture and Tourism was named the new commissioner for Information while Oliver Orok, hitherto commissioner for Sustainable Development 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 via for elective offices or resigned following the governor’s defection to the All Progressives Congress, APC.

The ceremony which took place at the executive chamber of the governor’s office, Calabar had in attendance the deputy governor, Professor Evara Esu, the chief judge, Justice Akon Ikpeme, first lady, Dr Linda Ayade among other top government functionaries and guests.

In his remarks made before swearing in the new commissioners, Ayade charged the appointees to work assiduously towards ensuring that his administration finished strong.

“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” Ayade maintained.

In her response on behalf of her colleagues, Dr Janet Ekpenyong, who replaced APC’s national woman leader, Dr Betta Edu, as commissioner for Health, commended the governor for “finding us worthy to join you in the crystallization of Cross River state, changing and transforming our state for the betterment of all Cross Riverians”

Ekpenyong, a former director-general of Cross River State Primary Health Development Agency (CRS-PHCDA) promised that she and her colleagues would represent the governor well in their various ministries.