SSDC MD Usoro Akpabio Reaffirms Cross River Ties, Calls for Regional Unity
By Our Reporter
In a powerful display of regional solidarity, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the South South Development Commission (SSDC), Ms. Usoro Offiong Akpabio, attended a high-profile gathering in Abuja highlighting the inseparable bond between Akwa Ibom and its former parent state.
The event, held yesterday, was hosted by the Honourable Executive Director of Finance at the Commission, Soni Abang. It drew a prestigious gathering that included the incumbent Governor of Cross River State, his esteemed predecessors His Excellency Donald Duke and His Excellency Senator Liyel Imoke, alongside former and present lawmakers, statesmen, and other eminent personalities.
For Ms. Akpabio, her presence was far more than a formal duty; it was a symbolic homecoming. In her remarks, she movingly articulated the deep historical and personal connections that bind the two states together.
“Cross River is not only my birthplace but also the soil of my upbringing,” stated the SSDC CEO. “Though I proudly hail from Akwa Ibom, we must never forget that Akwa Ibom once blossomed under the shade of Cross River.”
This poignant reflection on the shared history served as the foundation for a strong message of unity and collaborative progress. Ms. Akpabio framed her attendance as a conscious “reaffirmation of brotherhood, solidarity, and my enduring love for the state that helped shape who I am today.”
The event underscored the core mandate of the South South Development Commission: to foster integrated development and strengthen the bonds of brotherhood across the Niger Delta region. Observers noted that the convivial gathering of past and present leaders from Cross River, warmly welcomed by their counterpart from Akwa Ibom, perfectly embodied this spirit of collaboration.
By emphasizing their common roots and intertwined destinies, Ms. Akpabio’s presence and words sent a strong signal that the future prosperity of both Akwa Ibom and Cross River is inextricably linked, and that the SSDC is committed to being a catalyst for that unified growth.
