Cross River State has officially entered Nigeria’s electric mobility space with the rollout of its first fleet of electric vehicles to Permanent Secretaries, signalling a major shift towards clean energy transportation and a modern public service system.
The initiative, unveiled by Governor Bassey Otu in Calabar, forms part of a broader transportation reform programme aimed at reducing transportation costs, improving governance efficiency, promoting environmental sustainability and building a transport architecture capable of meeting future mobility needs.
At a time when rising fuel costs continue to place pressure on households and public institutions, Cross River State is charting a different course through investment in electric mobility.
At the unveiling ceremony held at the West Africa Fabrication Academy in Calabar, Governor Bassey Otu revealed that the vehicles presented to Permanent Secretaries represent the first phase of a wider programme, involving one hundred electric vehicles, electric tricycles, city buses and staff shuttle buses, intended to improve mobility within the public service and beyond.
The State Commissioner for Transportation, Ekpenyong Cobham, said the administration inherited a transport sector lacking a comprehensive architecture and is now building an integrated transportation system anchored on innovation, affordability and sustainability.
The state’s electric vehicle drive extends beyond transportation, as the government has trained one hundred youths in electric vehicle maintenance and manufacturing support services, a move aimed at creating the technical workforce needed to sustain the emerging industry and position Cross River as a hub for green technology development.
Editor: Ebuwa Omo-Osagie
