In a decisive move to maintain communication discipline within his administration, Governor Bassey Otu of Cross River State has barred all political appointees, particularly those in the information cluster, from granting media interviews or issuing press statements without prior approval.
This directive was contained in a circular issued on Sunday, August 3, 2025, and signed by the Commissioner for Information, Dr. Erasmus Ekpang. The circular strongly condemned what it described as the unauthorized and flagrant issuance of public statements and interviews by aides, particularly on sensitive government policies.
According to Dr. Ekpang, some appointees had begun to arrogate to themselves the role of official spokespersons for the state government and Governor Otu, thereby creating confusion and contradicting official narratives.
“To this end, all government political appointees are by this circular reminded to note that only the Commissioner for Information and the Chief Press Secretary/Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the Governor are officially mandated to issue any public statement on behalf of the Government of Cross River State,” the statement read.
The commissioner further directed that all press releases, official statements, or communications from government offices must henceforth be vetted and approved by either the Ministry of Information or the Governor’s media team before being made public.
The move is widely seen as part of efforts to streamline the state’s public messaging and ensure a unified voice from the administration. It also reflects the governor’s desire to enhance professionalism and accountability among political appointees, especially in an era where misinformation can easily spiral out of control.
Observers believe the ban will curb the growing trend of political aides speaking out of turn and re-establish proper communication protocols within the state government.
