Twenty-four statutory agencies and parastatals in Cross River State have failed to submit their financial statements for external audit, with some of the outstanding records dating back to 2013, according to the 2025 Annual Report and Accounts of the Cross River State Auditor-General.
The issue was reported by Sahara Reporters on September 22, 2026, citing the Auditor-General’s report, which said the affected institutions had failed to provide financial statements needed for external auditing.
Among the agencies listed are Obudu Ranch Resort, Cross River State Water Board Limited, Cross River University of Technology (CRUTECH), Cross River State Property Investment Limited (CROSPIL), Tourism Bureau, Sports Commission, Rural Development Agency and Carnival Commission.
Others include the Cross River State Communities and Social Development Agency, Forestry Commission, Council on Privatization, Bureau of Public Private Partnership, Scholarship Board, Library Board, State Technical Education Board, State Secondary Education Board, Cross River State Newspaper Corporation and Cross River State Broadcasting Corporation.
The Auditor-General referenced Section 125(3) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, which requires statutory bodies to make their accounts available for audit.
Some of the gaps identified in the report span several years. Obudu Ranch Resort reportedly last submitted its account for 2013, leaving records from 2014 to 2025 outstanding. The Cross River State Water Board Limited last submitted an account for 2017, leaving 2018 to 2025 outstanding.
The Management Development Institute was reported to have outstanding accounts from 2016 to 2025, while the Tourism Bureau, Sports Commission and CROSPIL had records outstanding from 2019 to 2025.
The Carnival Commission also had accounts outstanding from 2019 to 2025, while the Rural Development Agency had not submitted accounts covering 2020 to 2025.
For CRUTECH, the last submitted account was reportedly for 2022, leaving 2023 to 2025 outstanding. The Cross River State Communities and Social Development Agency had accounts outstanding for 2023 to 2025.
Other institutions mentioned include the Teachers Continuing Training Institute, Universal Basic Education Board, Forestry Commission, Council on Privatisation, University of Education and Entrepreneurial Development, Summit Hills Estate Development Services Limited and Tinapa Resort.
According to the Auditor-General, the failure to submit financial statements creates an accountability risk and could affect the ability to properly account for government funds expended by the affected institutions.
The Auditor-General recommended that the agencies explain their failure to submit the required statements and indicated that institutions that had failed to comply should explain why they should not be sanctioned.
The development places renewed attention on financial accountability within some of Cross River’s government-owned institutions, particularly where outstanding records have accumulated over several years.
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