… Approves free medical care for children between age 0-5, pregnant women, the aged 70 and above
Governor of Cross River State, Senator (Prince) Bassey Edet Otu, has declared free tuition for Cross Riverians in all the public primary and secondary schools across the state.
Otu equally exempted all Cross Riverians from the payment of senior secondary school examination fees in the State commencing from the current 2023/2024 academic session.
A memo signed by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) and Chairman of the Palliative Distribution Committee, Professor Owan Enoh, indicated that the decisions were taken as part of palliative measures to cushion the effect of the harsh economic reality occasioned by the removal of fuel subsidy.
The memo which was directed to the Commissioner for Education in the state, Senator Stephen Odey, reads: “Following the adoption of certain economic measures by the Federal Government which resulted in higher costs of living for the citizenry and the decision to help alleviate the sufferings of the people, His Excellency, the Governor of Cross River State, Senator Prince Bassey Edet Otu, decided to implement the following measures in the Cross River State Education Sector:
(a) Free tuition for all Cross Riverians in Public Primary and Secondary schools.
(b) Exemption of all Cross Riverians from the payment of the Senior Secondary Schools Examination Fees in the State beginning from the current academic session.”
In a related development, according to a memo also signed by the SSG and directed to the Commissioner for Health, Dr Henry Egbe Ayuk, Governor Otu likewise approved “the following measures in the Cross River State health sector: free medical care for children between 0-5 years in public healthcare facilities; free medical care for all pregnant women in public healthcare facilities and free medical care for the aged from 70 years and above.”
