House of Assembly Committee Members on Finance and Appropriation and Management of UNICROSS during the visit.
By Itam Offor
The Chairman, Cross River State House of Assembly Committee on Finance and Appropriation, Hon Okon Nyong Owuna has restated the Assembly’s commitment to ensuring that Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of Government are transparent and accountable.
Hon Owuna was speaking when his Committee interfaced with the Management of the University of Cross River State (UNICROSS) led by the Vice Chancellor, Professor Francesca Bassey during the ongoing 2025 Mid-Year Budget Performance Review at the Assembly’s Complex in Calabar.
The Finance and Appropriation Committee Chairman charged UNICROSS Management to abide by the Financial Regulations of the State in the discharge of their statutory duties and also encouraged them to improve their Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).
He said the aim of the Mid-Year Budget Performance Review was to access the budget performance of MDAs in the First half of the fiscal year 2025.
Owuna congratulated Professor Francesca Bassey on her appointment as substantive Vice Chancellor of UNICROSS and also commended her on her achievements in the University.
Other Members of the Committee including; Hon Samuel Abang(Ikom 1), Hon Mercy Akpama(Yakurr 2), Bassey Bassey (Akpabuyo), Martins Achadu (Yala 2) and Eyo Bassey Edet (Bakassi) felicitated the VC on her appointment.
They advised her to comply to the State’s Financial Regulations in respect to the use of Contractors instead of Direct Labour for certain categories of jobs.
In her remarks, the VC reiterated the importance of synergizing with the Assembly in the overall interest of the state. She thanked the Committee for the interface and reiterated her commitment to transparency and accountability in the discharge of her duties.
She expressed her confidence that.the IGR of the University will improve in the next quarter of the year due to the expected admission of new students.
