By Kera Okem
Cross River State has graduated over 2,400 civil servants from Batches 1 to 6 of the CIVTECH Digital Skills Programme, in a major step toward building a digitally skilled and technology-driven public service.
The graduation ceremony, held on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, at HOGIS Royale, Calabar, brought together government officials, permanent secretaries, directors, civil servants and other stakeholders to celebrate the participants.
Speaking at the event, the Head of Service, Barr. Orok Bassey Okon, emphasised the importance of digital transformation in the public service, stating that the state is going paperless. He noted that civil servants must acquire the necessary digital skills to operate effectively within the emerging technology-driven government system.
In his opening speech, the Director-General of the Microfinance and Enterprise Development Agency (MEDA), Mr. Great Ogban, highlighted the significance of the CIVTECH programme in equipping civil servants with practical digital skills required for improved productivity and service delivery.
The event also featured a goodwill message from the Chief Whip of the Cross River State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Hilary Bisong, who encouraged stakeholders to give young people the opportunity to dream big and pursue greater possibilities in technology.
Also delivering a goodwill message, the Commissioner for Science, Technology and Innovation, Hon. Dr. Justin Beshel, reaffirmed the importance of technology and digital innovation in advancing the State.
Among dignitaries present were the Centre Manager of the Cross River State ICT Hub, Mr. Ekuri Ekuri Asu; the Commissioner for Youth Development, Hon. Barr. Ujom Ukam; permanent secretaries, directors and other senior government officials.
The graduation marks a major milestone for the CIVTECH programme, reflecting Cross River State’s commitment to developing a digitally competent workforce capable of driving efficient, innovative and modern public service delivery.
