Cross River State Governor, Senator Bassey Edet Otu, has commended the Presbyterian Church of Nigeria (PCN) for 180 years of faith, service and transformative contributions to the development of Cross River State and Nigeria.

Otu, who was represented by his Deputy, Peter Odey, gave the commendation on Saturday at the grand finale of the 180th Anniversary Celebration and 27th General Assembly of the church, held at the Presbyterian Church of Nigeria, Hope Waddell Parish, Calabar Synod.

The governor described the anniversary as a celebration of the church’s resilience, service and enduring impact, noting that the Presbyterian story in Nigeria began in Cross River State with the arrival of missionaries led by Reverend Hope Waddell and the establishment of the first Presbyterian congregation at Creek Town in 1846.

Earlier, the Prelate of the Presbyterian Church of Nigeria and Moderator of the General Assembly, His Eminence, Ekpenyong Akpanika, had presented a four-year scorecard to the 27th General Assembly of the Church, describing his tenure so far as one of “remarkable testimonies, difficult challenges, important decisions and visible progress.”

Delivering the address at the Assembly marking the Church’s 180th Anniversary, the Prelate said the period since August 2022 had been guided by deliberate reforms, mission expansion and prudent stewardship aimed at strengthening the Church for present and future generations.

On reforms and governance, he said a major highlight of the administration was the implementation of Synod Autonomy, now operational for over two years.

He said that the Church also approved a comprehensive Policy and Guidelines for Managing Education in February 2026 to restore Presbyterian schools as institutions of first choice.