You know, Cross River State Governor, Senator Prince Bassey Otu, has done something that a lot of people are really happy about. He decided to build a new Governor’s Lodge in Ogoja for the Cross River North Senatorial District. And honestly, many are seeing this as a smart move to bring government closer to the people up north.
Here’s the thing: for many years, everything about government in Cross River State has been centered in Calabar. That’s where the governor stays, where offices are, where decisions get made. And while that makes sense in some ways, it also means that communities across the Local Government Areas in the Northern Senatorial District often feel far away from all the action. If you live in places like Ogoja, Obudu, Obanliku, Yala or Bekwarra, going to Calabar is a long journey. So sometimes, people up there feel forgotten or left out.
But Governor Otu is trying to change that story. Back in December 2024, he went to Ogoja town to lay the foundation for this new Governor’s Lodge. That was his way of saying, “Look, my government cares about the north, and we want to be present here.”
Why Ogoja though? Well, Ogoja is like the meeting point for all the northern local government areas. You have Yala, Bekwarra, Obudu, Obanliku, and Ogoja itself. So if you put a governor’s lodge there, it becomes a kind of government base. From there, the governor and his team can easily reach out to all these different communities.
And it’s not just about having a place to sleep when the governor visits. No, this place is going to be well equipped. The ongoing construction have a proper residence for the governor, office spaces where work can be done, a banquet hall for events, apartments for workers, accommodation for guess, kitchen facilities, and other things that will make it easy for government work to happen smoothly whenever the governor is around. But that’s not all, the project will also include a residence and office space for the Deputy Governor. This means both the governor and his deputy can operate effectively from the north whenever needed. So Ogoja will really become like a mini government headquarters for the north.
Just on Sunday, the Deputy Governor, Peter Odey, paid a surprise visit to the site, which sits on a landmass of about 12,000 sqm in Igoli, Ogoja Local Government Area. He didn’t tell anyone he was coming. He just showed up to see for himself how the work is going. And guess what? He met workers on ground and was impressed. He said the contractors are working fast and the quality of the work is good. He described the project as massive and said it shows that this government is serious about delivering good infrastructure everywhere in the state, not just in Calabar. You could tell he was happy, especially knowing that soon he will have his own official base up north too.
The Deputy Governor also made an important point. He said this lodge will really help to strengthen the connection between the government and the grassroots communities up north. When the governor and deputy governor can stay and work from Ogoja from time to time, they get to hear firsthand what the people are going through. They can respond faster to their problems. And that is what governance should be about-that’s Governor Otu’s “People First” mantra, his belief, and what he has activated.
This whole project actually fits into what Governor Otu calls “people-centered governance.” His thinking is simple: development shouldn’t just be concentrated in one place or senatorial district, It should reach every part of the state. So by building this lodge in Ogoja with facilities for both the governor and his deputy, he’s showing that every part of the state matters, that the people there need to feel governance more closer.
For the people of Northern Cross River, this lodge means more than just bricks and mortar. It’s a sign that they are seen and included. It tells them that the government remembers them and wants to work closely with them. It brings hope that things will get better. And if the creation of Ogoja state ever comes to fruition, this government lodge will be a solid foundation to build upon.
However, the supervisory department led by Mr. Ralph Adoga Morphy, Special Adviser to the Governor on Projects, Programs, Monitoring and Evaluation, must be commended for their diligence in overseeing this project and ensuring that work continues according to specification.
At the end of the day, Governor Otu is trying to change the way government works in Cross River State. Instead of being something distant that people only hear about, he wants it to be something close, something people can touch and feel. And if this project continues well, the Ogoja Governor’s Lodge will stand as proof that leadership can truly reach the grassroots.
