The Speaker of the Cross River State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Elvert Ayambem, and the Deputy Speaker, Rt. Hon. Sylvester Agabi Jr., have received special recognition from the Consul General of the Chinese Embassy in Lagos, Yan Yuging, for their leadership and commitment to strengthening bilateral cooperation between Cross River State and the Chinese government. 
The honour was conferred following the recently concluded China-Africa Training Course on Ocean Governance, where the Cross River State House of Assembly was rated the most outstanding legislature among participating African institutions. The programme, which focused on sustainable ocean management and policy frameworks, drew representatives from several African countries, with Cross River’s lawmakers earning particular praise for their active participation and innovative ideas.
In his remarks, the Consul General commended the Speaker and Deputy Speaker for fostering partnerships that extend beyond politics to economic and environmental development. He further announced 10 additional training slots for members of the Cross River State House of Assembly to attend the next Ocean Governance programme in China, noting that such opportunities would deepen knowledge exchange and capacity building.
Speaker Ayambem described the recognition as “a testament to the dedication of the Assembly to global best practices in governance,” adding that Cross River State stands to benefit from stronger ties with China in areas such as trade, technology, and marine resources. Deputy Speaker Agabi echoed the sentiment, stressing that the training would equip lawmakers with the expertise needed to legislate on critical issues of environmental protection, maritime security, and sustainable resource use.
The Chinese government has in recent years expanded its cooperation with Nigeria through programmes in infrastructure, education, and environmental management. For Cross River State, which boasts a vast coastline and unique ecological resources, partnerships on ocean governance are expected to provide technical support for both conservation and economic growth.
The Assembly leadership expressed gratitude to the Chinese Consulate for the recognition and pledged to ensure that the knowledge gained through the training would be translated into effective legislation and policies that benefit the people of Cross River State.
