Gov Otu Signs Trio of Reform Bills Into Law, Targets Roads, Revenue and Senior Care in Cross River


Calabar — Cross River State Governor Bassey Otu has signed three landmark laws aimed at overhauling road maintenance, tightening oversight of the gaming industry and establishing formal support for senior citizens.

At a brief ceremony in Calabar on Monday, the governor signed the laws, which include "Road Maintenance Agency (Amendment) Law, 2025" which expands funding windows and grants the agency emergency-repair powers to tackle the state’s deteriorating road network, "Lotteries and Gaming Agency Law, 2025" which creates a dedicated regulator to curb illegal betting, boost internally generated revenue and promote responsible gaming and the "Senior Citizens Centre Law, 2025" which sets up a statutory body to coordinate healthcare, welfare and social-integration programmes for residents aged 60 and above.

"These laws are both timely and strategic,” Gov Otu said, commending the House of Assembly for “swift collaboration on reforms that will deliver real impact in infrastructure renewal, economic expansion and people-centred development.”

Speaker Elvert Ayambem, who presented the bills for assent, noted that the road-agency amendment provides sustainable funding for routine maintenance; the gaming law brings Cross River in line with national regulatory standards; and the senior-citizens statute “places dignity and structured care for the elderly at the core of state policy.”

Analysts say the measures could improve the state’s revenue profile, extend the lifespan of critical road assets and offer a safety net for an ageing population, if fully implemented.

With the governor’s signature, all three laws take immediate effect, signalling what the administration calls its resolve to “place people at the heart of policy while unlocking new avenues for growth and social progress."

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