By: Our Reporter, Calabar
Leaders of the Yakurr Nation in Cross River State have appealed to Governor Bassey Edet Otu to extend the broadcast signal of the Cross River Broadcasting Corporation (CRBC) to Ugep and other parts of Yakurr Local Government Area.
The appeal was made during the 21st edition of the Leboku International New Yam Festival at the Yakurr Peace Stadium, Ugep, where the Obol Lopon Advisory Council (OLAC) said residents of the area had been denied regular access to programmes and information disseminated by the state-owned broadcaster because of inadequate signal coverage
.
Presenting a speech on behalf of the Obol Lopon of Ugep, the Publicity Secretary of OLAC, Comrade Azikiwe Williams, said the demand for improved broadcast coverage had been made repeatedly but was yet to receive the desired attention.
“This is the second time we are demanding that the signal of Cross River Broadcasting Corporation, CRBC, the state broadcasting station in Calabar, be extended to reach Yakurr,” Williams said.
He explained that the existing radio wavelength does not adequately cover Yakurr, leaving residents unable to listen to or access important government programmes broadcast from Calabar.
“As it were, the radio wavelength does not cover Yakurr and we are denied the opportunity of listening and viewing government programmes,” he said.
Williams appealed to the governor to take steps toward establishing a broadcasting station or relay facility in Yakurr to improve access to information across the area.
“Let me appeal that efforts should be made to build a broadcast station in Yakurr to allow us to get information as the state government releases them,” he said.
The traditional institution argued that improved broadcast coverage would strengthen the relationship between the state government and rural communities by ensuring that residents receive timely information on government policies, programmes and opportunities.
The appeal also comes against the backdrop of the growing role of radio and television in public information, particularly in rural communities where internet access and digital connectivity may remain limited.
For Yakurr leaders, extending CRBC’s reach would not only benefit the government in communicating its programmes but also provide communities with a platform for greater participation in state affairs.
Williams stressed that Yakurr remained strategically important to the state and deserved improved access to government information.
“This appeal is because Yakurr is indeed central to your administration,” he told the governor..
The OLAC also commended the Otu administration for road and other infrastructure projects in Yakurr but urged the government to extend development to other communities within the local government area.
Williams said some of the communities that contribute significantly to the state’s agricultural and mineral resources still required greater government attention.
“More of these infrastructures need to be extended to other Yakurr communities for even development, especially in communities where the bulk of agricultural produce and solid minerals are found and extracted,” he said.
The traditional council further appealed to the governor to renovate and upgrade the Ugep Peace Stadium and provide a standby generating set to enhance the facility’s usefulness.
The call for wider CRBC coverage was made as Yakurr hosted the 21st edition of the Leboku International New Yam Festival, an annual celebration that has evolved from a traditional harvest thanksgiving into a major cultural and tourism event.
The 2026 festival was held under the theme, “Rooted in Culture, Growing in Prosperity.”
Governor Otu, who was represented by Deputy governor Rtd Hon Peter Odey at the event, described the festival as an important platform for promoting cultural identity, agriculture, tourism and economic development.
The governor also used the occasion to pledge the sum of N50 million naira for the renovation of the Ugep Peace stadium. Also, the governor condemned the recent communal conflict involving Ugep and Idumi communities, warning that continued violence could undermine tourism and development in Yakurr.
He said the government would not hesitate to withdraw recognition from traditional rulers in domains where there was a breakdown of peace.
The Commissioner for Tourism, Art and Culture, Mr Obi Ayuk Offor, said the state government was committed to strengthening Leboku as an international tourism attraction.
He urged visitors to explore Ugep and other parts of Yakurr beyond the festival, highlighting the area’s waterfalls, natural landscapes, heritage sites, traditional arts, music and dance
.
The demand for expanded CRBC coverage therefore comes at a time the state government is seeking to position culture and tourism as important
components of its economic development strategy.
Yakurr leaders believe that a stronger state broadcasting presence in the area would complement these efforts by giving the government a more effective platform to communicate with residents while also promoting the rich cultural and tourism assets of the Yakurr Nation
.
The traditional institution subsequently pledged its continued support for the Otu administration and urged the governor to give favourable consideration to the request for improved broadcasting infrastructure in Ugep
.
The demand, if implemented, would give residents of Yakurr more direct access to state-owned radio and television programming while providing the government with an additional channel for reaching communities in one of Cross River’s major agricultural and cultural centres.
