Traditional rulers in Cross River Northern Senatorial District are urging Governor Bassey Otu to reinstate the Northern Festival (NorthFest), which celebrates the agricultural achievements of the region.
Representing the group, HRM Uchua Amos Uyimulam, Paramount Ruler and Chairman of the Obanliku Traditional Rulers Council, highlighted the festival’s role in uniting the five local government areas (LGAs) and boosting agricultural productivity, which has benefited both the northern region and the entire state.
Alongside HRM Linus Ogbeche Odey, Paramount Ruler and Chairman of the Bekwarra Traditional Rulers Council, Uyimulam called for the adoption of people-centric agricultural policies. Odey also emphasized the need for timely completion of ongoing road projects and the initiation of new ones to benefit the Northern Senatorial District and the state as a whole.
Both monarchs urged that road construction and farm input provision extend beyond the senatorial district to the entire state. They assured Deputy Governor Peter Odey that traditional rulers would continue to support government policies and programs.
Governor Otu, represented by his deputy Peter Odey at the Bekwarra Local Government Council Headquarters following their New Yam Festival, emphasized the importance of peace and unity in the communities. Otu committed to supporting traditional rulers across all 18 Local Government Areas, focusing on improving the socioeconomic well-being of Cross Riverians.
He assured that the government would prioritize the welfare of the chiefs, aligning with his administration’s “People First” mantra, provided that communal peace is maintained. Otu also outlined the government’s efforts in road rehabilitation, healthcare, security, education, and agriculture across the five LGAs in the North, promising the completion of ongoing projects and the initiation of new ones. He encouraged the people of Bekwarra to support the government’s agricultural policies aimed at enhancing food production and security.
