The governor of Cross River State, Prof Ben Ayade, Tuesday swore in Mr. Adamu Musa as the first non-indigene Muslim to be appointed a commissioner in the state.
Musa was sworn in alongside 12 others.
Speaking at the swearing in of the new commissioners in Calabar yesterday, Ayade also announced a minor cabinet reshuffle in two ministries with Mr. Eric Anderson becoming the new commissioner for information and orientation while Mr. Oliver Orok is in charge of the ministry of agriculture and natural resources.
Anderson was formerly the commissioner for culture and tourism was while Orok was erstwhile commissioner for sustainable development.
The new commissioners filled positions made vacant by their former appointees who left either to vie for elective offices or resigned following the governor’s defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Ayade urged the new commissioners to work assiduously to ensure that his administration finished strong.
“Your coming on board is not by accident; you have been carefully selected based on your integrity and competence to bring your wealth of experiences to bear on our administration.
“I, therefore, charge you to work assiduously to ensure that we finish strong as an administration. Your jobs are all cut out for you, I expect that you make our dear state proud,” he said.
Responding on behalf of the new commissioners, Dr. Janet Ekpenyong who replaced APC’s national woman leader, Dr. Betta Edu, as commissioner for health, commended the governor for finding them worthy to join “in the crystallisation of Cross River state, changing and transforming our state for the betterment of all Cross Riverians.”
She pledged that she and her colleagues would represent the governor well in their various ministries.
The other newly sworn-in commissioners are: Mrs. Ekwele Agube (sustainable development), Mr. Sunday Awara (social housing); Mr. Wogor Umari (homeland security); Dr. Hippolytus Lukputa (water resources); Patrick Ebam (special duties); Okama Inyang (infrastructure).
The other are Ms Janet Nsing (climate change), Mr. Goddy Eta (finance), Mr. Arikpo Edet (science and technology), Mr. Ekpenyong Iso (culture and tourism), Mrs. Gertrude Njar (women affairs), and Musa (inter-governmental affairs).
The swearing-in was attended by the deputy governor, Prof Evara Esu, the state chief judge, Justice Akon Ikpeme, First Lady, Dr. Linda Ayade and some other top government functionaries.
