Governor Bassey Otu of Cross River State has approved the appointment of Orok Okon as the new Head of Service of the state civil service.
The appointment takes effect from September 19, 2025, following the retirement of Dr. Innocent Eteng.
The announcement was made on Tuesday in a statement issued by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary and Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Linus Obogo. The governor thanked Dr. Eteng for his long years of service and described his career as one that left a strong mark on the civil service.
Okon, who has been a Permanent Secretary in the state’s civil service, including at the Ministry of Justice, brings both administrative and legal expertise to his new role. He is expected to continue ongoing reforms and ensure that efficiency, professionalism, and accountability remain central to the running of the service.
Since assuming office in May 2023, Governor Otu had appointed Dr. Eteng as Head of Service in September of that year. During his time in office, Dr. Eteng worked on the regularisation of casual workers who had been serving for many years without formal recognition. He also initiated recruitment plans to fill vacancies created by mass retirements, while introducing measures to align the workforce with merit-based standards.
With the change in leadership, Okon will now lead efforts to consolidate those reforms and further reposition the civil service as the driving force of governance in Cross River State. His appointment reflects the administration’s focus on sustaining institutional growth and improving service delivery to the people.