Despite multi-billion naira budgetary provisions, critical social sectors in Cross River received no capital funding in the first quarter of 2026, while Government House accounted for one of the largest disbursements.
Critical sectors in Cross River State, including education, youth development, and women affairs, received no capital funding in the first three months of 2026, according to the state’s 2026 first-quarter budget performance report under Governor Bassey Otu.
A breakdown of the 2026 budget indicates that some key education projects awaiting funding include the upgrade of 280 classrooms in junior secondary schools (N1.75 billion), construction and furnishing of 70 Early Child Care Development Education (ECCDE) centres (N1.79 billion), rehabilitation of 30 ECCDE classrooms, and supply of school desks valued at N737.52 million.
The lack of releases continues a pattern from 2025, when the sector recorded only 10.7 per cent performance for the entire year. Of the N26.83 billion approved for capital projects last year, only N2.86 billion was released.
The poor funding contrasts with trends in Enugu State, where PREMIUM TIMES reported that education ranked among the top five ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) that received funding within the same period.
Youth development in Cross River also recorded zero capital releases in the first quarter of 2026 despite a N645 million allocation. Some planned initiatives include the development of a youth database, agro-consultancy services for young farmers, and rehabilitation of the NYSC orientation camp in Obubra.
In 2025, only four per cent of the N680 million budgeted for youth-related projects was released, amounting to N27.5 million.
Similarly, the Ministry of Women Affairs and programmes targeting women and vulnerable groups received no capital funding within the period, despite a N750 million budget.
Some projects outlined for the year include skills acquisition and empowerment programmes across the three senatorial districts, agricultural entrepreneurship exhibitions, and support for orphans and vulnerable children, and renovation of gender-based violence centres.
This is similar to the 2025 fiscal year, when no funds were released for women and vulnerable-focused projects despite a N2.01 billion allocation.
In contrast to the zero releases to social sectors, the Government House in Cross River recorded significant spending during the quarter.
The report shows that N1.9 billion was disbursed for its capital projects, while N3.14 billion was released for overhead costs.
Further analysis indicates that the Office of the Economic Adviser to the Governor exceeded its overhead budget for the year within the first three months of 2026. While the office had an annual overhead allocation of N12.95 million for 2026, it received N42.73 million in the first quarter, amounting to an overspending of 229.9 per cent.
The report shows that Cross River recorded a total revenue of N66.86 billion in the first quarter of 2026. Of this, N46.02 billion came from Federation Account Allocation Committee statutory revenues, N17.34 billion from internally generated revenue, and N3.48 billion from the opening balance carried over from 2025.
Despite an approval to borrow N331.53 billion, the state did not take any loans within the period.
Total expenditure stood at N38.68 billion. Salaries accounted for N1.59 billion, overhead costs N5.42 billion, while N12.18 billion was classified as “other recurrent expenditure.” Capital expenditure totalled N19.48 billion.
The absence of funding for critical human development sectors amid substantial administrative spending raises concerns about the state’s budget priorities and their implications for service delivery.
