FIRST ANNIVERSARY: C' River Monthly Revenue Hits to N6.3 bn, Information Commissioner

Ndifereke BASSEY

Commissioner for Information, Dr. Erasmus Ekpang, has disclosed that the state monthly Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) has hit N6.3 billion.

Ekpang, who made the disclosure at a press briefing to render account of his stewardship in the Ministry within the last one years, said the feat was made possible because Gov. Bassey Otu-led administration has restored confidence in governance, noting that because the present administration has worked to restore trust in governance, the people now go out of their way to pay their taxes.

He said: “With the support of the governor, the state ministry of information has been overhauled just as the broadcast and print medium of the ministry are been equipped with modern technology and the buildings were also renovated.

"We met a total collapse of the ministry as they had no Commissioner for four years. The EndSARS protest also saw the vandalisation of some of the structures while various equipment were carted away.

"As I speak, we are on the verge of finalising the process that will see to the renovation of the buildings housing Chronicle, the print medium section of the State media outfit.

We project a little above N400 million for this exercise, the sun of over N240 million was expanded for the state printing press and there are been revamping of equipment at the state-owned broadcast medium.

"We bought a new transmitter to increase the reach of the station beyond Calabar. And we are planning for that of Ikom.

We gave the Cross River State Broadcasting Corporation a face-lift when we came in.

The entire ministry of information had no Commissioner for four years and the place was a complete mess.

It was that bad that staff in Chronicle were sitting on bare floor or window frames," he stated.