The governor linked the programme to President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda …
By TheInvestigator
Cross River State Governor, Senator Bassey Otu, has inaugurated 196 Rural Development Officers (RDOs) appointed to drive the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Ward-Based Programme (RHWDP) at the grassroots level.
The ceremony took place at the Senate Chamber of the University of Calabar and was attended by the appointees, their families, well-wishers, and representatives from various security agencies in the state.
Governor Otu, represented by the State Coordinator of the RHWDP, Dr Michael Nku Abuo, described the appointments as well-deserved and based purely on merit, marking a departure from past practices influenced by political godfathers.
“This is the first time in Cross River State that individuals without godfathers or powerful connections have emerged into such offices through hard work and selfless service,” Sen Otu stated on behalf of the governor.
He charged the new officers to serve as effective ambassadors of the administration at the ward level, acting as the governor’s “eyes and ears” in their communities. Given the significant responsibilities and initial public reactions to the appointments, the governor urged them not to disappoint the state.
The RDOs are tasked with monitoring the implementation of the RHWDP, promoting peace-building initiatives, conducting civic education to encourage voter participation, and carrying out Needs Assessments in the 196 wards across the state.
The governor linked the programme to President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, noting its top-down approach to ensure federal developmental initiatives reach every political ward in the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
A highlight of the event was a charge delivered to the appointees by Prof Michael Okom, Chairman of the Cross River State Political Network (CRISPON), followed by the administration of the oath of office.
The RHWDP is a federal initiative aimed at accelerating economic growth, poverty alleviation, and infrastructure development at the ward level nationwide.