By Nsan Ndoma-Neji, Calabar
Ten illustrious sons and daughters of Cross River State, who were elevated in public service by the Federal Government were on Friday honoured by the governor of the state, Bassey Edet Otu, at Transcorp Hotel, Calabar.
The honorees were recognized for putting in their very best in public service.
The state governor said that the award was a way of giving recognition to the recipients for their contributions towards national development and a way to encourage them to do more in their places of responsibilities.
The awardees, who are newly elevated public servants of the state origin were presented with awards in recognition of their service to the country.
Those recognized by the state government include: Minister of Sports Development, Senator John Owan Enoh; Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr. Betta Edu; and justice of the Court of Appeal, Justice Jane Inyang.
Others are: Chief of Defence Intelligence, Major-General EAP Undiandeye; Assistant Inspectors-General of Police Okon Effiong, Echeng Echeng Eworo, Paul Ojeka, Patrick Edung, Emmanuel Effiong and Susan Horsefall, retired.
Presenting the award plaques to recipients of the award, the state governor, Senator Otu stated that it is a privilege to be at the helm of affairs of the state, when recipients of the award were elevated, thanking the awardees for the level of impact they brought to the state.
Otu said, “I’m privileged, humbled and highly elated to be at the helm of affairs in the state when these our illustrious sons were chosen and elevated in their different fields of endeavour.
“They have impacted the state’s development agenda, and therefore no responsible government will downplay the importance of this distinguished human capital.”
The state Chief Executive Officer charged the awardees to serve as role models for future awardees and called for unity among the various tribes in the state.
He added, “To the honourees, the social responsibility each of you owe, is to serve as role models in terms of mentorship and provision of transformational leadership.”
Speaking on behalf of the recipients of the award, the newly elevated justice of the Court of Appeal, Justice Inyang, promised that they would remain as good ambassadors of the state till the end of their careers, vowing not to let the state down in the course of discharging their duties.
