By Itam Offor
CALABAR (CONVERSEER) – The State House of Assembly has promised that the Cross River State Office of the Surveyor General’s Bill will be given early passage in order to enhance the productivity of the office.
The Chairman of the House Committee on Finance and Appropriation, Hon. Okon Nyong Owuna, made the promise when he led Members of his Committee on the Mid-Year Budget Performance Review visit to the Surveyor General’s office.
Owuna, who represents Akamkpa 1 State Constituency, emphasised that the Mid-year Budget Performance Review was constitutional and aimed at ascertaining the budget performance of MDAs in the first half of the year (January to June 2025).
Members of the Committee lauded the office of the Surveyor General for achieving revenue targets in some subheads and urged them to improve on subheads where they failed to meet their targets.
In his response, the State Surveyor General, Surveyor Patrick Bassey, informed the legislators of his efforts at revenue generation during the period under review while appealing for the early passage of the Office of the Surveyor General’s bill which, according to him, will greatly facilitate improvement in revenue generation.
At the Cross River Geographic Information Agency (CRGIA) the Committee Chairman urged the Management of the Agency to work harder towards the improvement of their Internally Generated Revenue.
In his response, the Director General (DG) of the Agency, Mr William Archibong, highlighted the revenue performance of his Agency in the period under review and pledged the Agency’s commitment to the improvement of its revenue.
Present at the oversight visits were Members of the Committee including the Vice Chairman of the Committee, Rt. Hon. Davies Etta (Abi), Hon. Charles Omang Omang (Bekwara), Hon. Samuel Neji Abang (Ikom I), Hon. Bassey Bassey Effiong (Akpabuyo) and Hon. Thomas Aruku (Ogoja).
Also present at the visit were, Hon. Mercy Mbang Akpama (Yakurr II), Hon Ovat Agbor (Obubra I), Hon. Kingsley Ntui (Etung), Hon. Eyo Bassey Edet (Bakassi) and Barr. Catherine Ubi, the Clerk of the House and Secretary to the Committee.
