The Lumine News

Author: News

  • Jarigbe Agom Hands Over Completed Classroom Block To St Peter’s Primary School Akurinyi-Ugboro, Bekwarra LGA

     

    The Senator representing Cross River North Senatorial District, Sen Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe, has handed over a completed and fully furnished classroom block to St. Peter’s Primary School, Akurinyi – Ugboro, Bekwarra Local Government Area, Cross River State.

    The school which was in a sorry state following the near collapse of the old school block, has received succor courtesy of Senator Jarigbe Agom through his ongoing transformation of the education sector in the Senatorial District.

    Speaking during the handing over, Sen. Jarigbe who was represented by Hon. Charles Eneji, Liason Officer to the Senator, stated that, quality education must be affordable and accessible for every child in Cross River North. He further stated that, education is the most powerful catalyst to speed up a community’s development.

    “Quality Education for all must become accessible, affordable and should lead to a positive transformation in an individual’s outlook, societal cohesion and inclusive national development,” he added.

    Traditional leaders, school management as well as other residents took turns to appreciate Senator Jarigbe Agom for his magnificent approach to leadership. They prayed for him while pledging their unalloyed support to his re-election bid in the 2023 general elections.

    TEAM JARI MEDIA.

  • Gov Ben Ayade And The Challenge Of Politics With Ethics BY DOMINIC KIDZU

     

    It will be difficult to count the number of times that Governor Ben Ayade has told the public that he plays politics with ethics. Although the claim has remained largely nebulous, since he has never offered a detailed explanation of what the ramifications and parameters are, the general assumption has been that he was going to level the playing field and allow the voting public to make its choice. With virtually nothing to leave behind as legacy outside the signature nepotism, corruption and under performance in office, one thought that like his senior brother, Buhari, he was going to at least allow Cross Riverians to freely make their choice about who should come and clean the miasma and stench of his ill – fated adventure.

    Unfortunately, it now appears that those hopes were merely a pipe dream seeing as the Governor is pulling all stumps to ensure that the opposition is denied legitimate constitutional liberties that are the bedrock of free and fair elections, which also could have in some manner aggregated to any semblance of ‘politics with ethics’. One hopes that the claim of Politics With Ethics does not go the way of most of the miracle projects which the Governor has began and completed in the air, and which the citizens are not likely to ever see let alone enjoy or benefit from?

    Only yesterday, the Caterpillar Movement, which is the advocacy arm of the People’s Democratic Party Governorship campaign framework wrote an open letter to the Governor outlining the frustrations and denials of their right to place their billboards and other publicity materials in the public space, even after they have made due payments and completed documentation with the public agency responsible for that purpose in the state. Ironically, the same agency has allowed candidates of the ruling party to place their advertisement all over the city with pomp and pageantry.

    The Governor has a responsibility to ensure that all political parties and their candidates enjoy the same rights and privileges as the ruling party if he still remembers that he has always bragged about practicing Politics With Ethics. He has a responsibility to call the government agents at CRISA to order before they make him and his ruling party appear frightened by the momentum of the PDP candidate and lily- livered about the prospects of a fair contest. For CRISA to collect monies and revenues from the PDP and then block the party from enjoying the benefits of that expenditure is shameful to say the least and criminal by all standards.

    The jury on Ben Ayade’s government returned with a guilty verdict since morning and clearly there is no official arm – twisting and village tactics against the opposition that will come anywhere near to changing that verdict. The part to honour open for the Governor is to play according to the rules and attempt to supervise a fair process leading to a credible election in 2023. Let me state here for clarity that the underhand manipulation being implemented right now even if they were to get away with it can still not ensure that Governor Ben Ayade will succeed in putting a cloned administration in his image and form in office in the year 2023.

  • Caterpillar Movement Writes Gov Ben Ayade, Demands Him To Call Effiwat And Other Appointees To Order Over Destruction Of Billboards

    The Caterpillar Movement, the Campaign Organization for Sen.(Prof.) Sandy Onor, the Cross River State People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Governorship candidate, through its Director General, Chief Joe Obi Bisong, in an open letter has called on the Cross River State Governor to caution his overzealous appointees.

    In a letter signed by the DG and made available to TheLumineNews, Obi maintained that the organization had met all the financial obligations and other requirements stipulated for outdoor advertisement in the State by the State Director General of CRISSA, but that Effiwat has continually denied the Opposition party and its candidates access to outdoor advertising in the state’s capital, Calabar.

    The letter further stated that Senator Sandy Onor and other PDP candidate’s billboards were pulled down.

  • Obudu Council Chairman, Bonny Ewhe Trains And Empowers 400 Farmers With Input

    The Chairman of Obudu Local Government Council, Mr Boniface Eraye Ewhe has trained and empowered Four Hundred 400 farmers with Agrochemicals, selected across the ten political wards on modern farming techniques.

    The training held today, October 8th, 2022 at the Senator Liyel Imoke Civic Centre, and had the Obudu Local Government Council Director of Agriculture, Mr Peter Egop as the lead facilitator.

    Egop mentioned pest control, fertilizer and herbicide application as some modern farming techniques, and insisted that food sufficiency and security can only be guaranteed by a departure from the archaic and mundane farming practices.

    He further charged the beneficiaries to employ modern techniques that have been scientifically proven to be more effective in enhancing productivity.

    Speaking during the presentation of the agrochemicals, the Council Chairman, Mr Boniface Ewhe averred that “this training and support will not have come at a better time than now, the training is timely and will enable farmers prepare early and ahead of the next farming season.

    “Let me charge you to apply the knowledge gained during the training. Our people are predominantly farmers and our desire to support you necessitated this training and support. I encourage you to put in your very best and I assure you that you will be happy with your harvest”

    Ewhe however commended the governor for the support and assured farmers of more of the intervention. “I want to use this opportunity to thank His Excellency, Sen Ben Ayade for his contribution towards the success of the programme. I want to assure you that more of this gesture is underway as his excellency has pledged full commitment to Agriculture to ensure uptimum productivity”

    During the training section of the programme, the Obudu Local Government Council Director of Agriculture, Mr. Peter Egop, who was the lead facilitator charged the farmers to look beyond the archiac methods of farming and employ modern techniques that have been scientifically tested and proven to be more effective in enhancing productivity. The facilitators took time to explain various improved methods of cultivating the major food crops endemic to our region.

    The programme had 40 farmers selected from each ward and were each given a bag fertilizer (NPK 20:10:10), one litre each of herbicide and insecticide.

    Some of the beneficiaries thanked the chairman for his wisdom and consideration of the Obudu farmers in his programmes and noted that the inputs will in no small measure improve their farming output in the next farming season.

  • Caterpillar Movement Celebrates PDP Deputy Governorship Candidate, Lady Emana Amawhe As She Marks Her Birthday

    HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO A DOUBLE-BARRELED DEPUTY-GOVERNORSHIP CANDIDATE

    An excellent wife of a noble and humble character; unique in all ramification, far more precious than jewels
    A proud mother of four; loving, tender and caring
    Exquisite in her heart; genuine, generous, kind, compassionate and perfectly designed to be a mouthpiece of God and servant to man and humanity.
    Double-barreled because she’s a woman in her youthful age
    Her kind is rare.

    Your emergence as the Deputy-Governorship Candidate of our great party has added colour, beauty, elegance and style in our collective bid to reclaim Cross River State. It has also served as a watershed in fulfilment of our promises for affirmative action and women inclusion in the politics and governance of our state.

    On behalf of our principal, Distinguished Senator Prof. Sandy Ojang Onor, the Caterpillar Movement and the very good people of Cross River Central Senatorial District we wish you a blissful and meritorious birthday celebration, Amen.
    Happy Birthday Lady Emana-Duke Ambrose Amawhe
    Double-barreled Deputy-Governorship Candidate (CRS).

    Signed,

    Joe Obi Bisong,
    DG Caterpillar Movement

  • Governor Nyesom Wike’s Love For Cross River State Is Unrivalled And Unpretentious BY DESMOND-CRUZ

    Governor Nyesom Wike’s love for the people of Cross River State is unrivalled and unpretentious.

    Nyesom Wike is that proverbial good friend that is better than a bad brother. Unlike some transactional Politicians whom today have turned themselves into self-acclaimed advocates for the Southern Senatorial District, Nyesom Wike stood firm for the entire People of Cross River State, particularly the Southern Senatorial District.

    When Justice Walter Onnoghen was faced with unmitigated persecution, while some Cross Riverians within the corridors of power in Abuja were busy writing copiously in Support of Justice Walter Onnoghen’s removal, Governor Nyesom Wike stood strongly for him.

    Today, the same set of transactional Politicians that were busy bootlicking the Northern hegemony in Abuja and joined forces with the aristocratic Northern Cabals to remove the duo of Justice Walter Onnoghen and Mrs Winifred Oyo-ita –both from the Southern Senatorial District– are now everywhere writing patronizingly for the same Southern Senatorial District that they orchestrated the removal of their illustrious son and daughter from Office.Thankfully, karma served them their own breakfast when they least expected it.

    Though, it was never my intention to travel down this memory lane but it is absolutely necessary, lest the South forget who their actual enemy is.

    According to a publication made by Punch Newspaper today 7th October 2022, Governor Nyesom Wike was reported to have nominated Former Governor, Donald Duke as running mate for Atiku Abubakar, even when he had the option of nominating himself. Isn’t this another form of sacrificial love for the people of Cross River State, particularly the Southern Senatorial District? Today, a certain man that wasted his opportunity in Abuja fighting Cross Riverians especially those from the Southern Senatorial District, is now the one trying to profess love for the people of the South more than everyone else. What an act of pretentious treachery!

    *©Umezulike Desmond-cruz*

  • Dr Janet Ekpenyong Emerges Vice Chairman, Forum of Executive Secreties/CEOs Of State Primary Healthcare Agencies/Boards In Nigeria

     

    The Director General of the Cross River State Primary Healthcare Development Agency,
    Dr Janet Ekpenyong has emerged as the vice chairman of the forum of Executive Secretaries/Chief Executive Officers of State Primary Healthcare Development Agency and boards of the 36 states of the Federation.

    Dr Ekpenyong who was unanimously voted for at the ongoing stakeholders meeting and policy framework implementation meeting in Abuja the nation’s capital is said to have been considered due to her leadership style and the sterling performance of her state on Primary and Community Health initiatives .

    Recalled that the Cross River State Governor, Senator Ben Ayade had in early 2020 appointed Dr Janet Ekpenyong to oversee the State Primary Healthcare Development Agency after her selfless contributory services as Technical expert, consultant and member of various committees for the actualization of the nation’s “Universal Health Coverage” status.

    In the past years in Office, Dr Janet Ekpenyong has been able to ensure implementation of health policies that is transforming the Cross River State Primary Healthcare Development Agency and Cross River State Health landscape into one of the most realistic enterprise in the Ayade’s administration, attracting tens of supports/collaborations from local , national and international organizations especially on child and maternal healthcare.

    Within this period of her selfless service to the state, Cross River State has been recognized on national and global stages with honours among which is the latest award as the best and most effective immunization compliant state in the South South region of Nigeria.

    It is during her tenure that the state joined other states of the federation in the certification of Nigeria as a “Poliomyelitis free Nation”, with many admiring and acknowledging her contributions at the national health sphere, and in “pushing” and joining health workers on Community outreaches , mobilization and sensitization of Cross Riverians on the dangers and effects of Poliomyelitis on this generation and the next.

    It is worthy of note that, the Cross River State Community engagement strategies has now found the nation’s admiration with many states seeking to adopt it’s methods of service delivery, this is manifested in the partnership it has enjoyed with many states and international organizations.

    In her acceptance speech, Dr Ekpenyong thanked her colleagues for finding her worthy to represent them and for the confidence bestowed on her as she promised to work harmoniously with the team to bridge the numerous gaps suffered by the Primary Healthcare Agencies across the country.

    She urged her colleagues to continue to mobilize resources for the Health sector and seek more collaborations in order to help curtail deaths especially for illnesses that are preventable.

  • Former APC Governorship Aspirant, Chief Ogba Ebock Leads Hundreds Others Defects To PDP In Cross River

    Culled From Sunnewsonline, By Judex Okoro

    The gale of defection has continued in Cross River as a former governorship aspirant in All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Ogba Ebock, and hundreds of supporters have defected to the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) ahead of 2023 polls.

    The defectors including former party leaders at wards and chapters, youths and women from Ehon ward in Iwuru community of Biase local government area, expressed disaffection at the turnout of events in APC, which prompted their defection to PDP.

    Speaking on behalf of the defectors at Iwuru community in Biase local government area on Monday, Chief Ogban Ebock, said: “For many years, we were all in PDP then we left for APC believing that it would offer succour to our system. But when the current leadership of APC joined us from PDP in 2020, we thought they would bring the needed change. Unfortunately, things got worse and we had to return to our original party, PDP, to help rebuild it.

    “For me, I was on sabbatical in APC and decided to come back to PDP. I have come a long way with lots of my friends in PDP. I am a forerunner and very soon you would see more defectors.

    “We have never had it so bad in Cross River that almost every sector including civil service has collapsed. Therefore, I call on all democrats to join us to salvage the state.”

     

    Receiving the defectors, the state PDP Chairman, Venatius Ikem, Esq, said: “The party is committed to rescuing the state and does not discriminate against anybody. So whosoever joins today, would be given all due privileges. We call on other Cross Riverians to come on board.”

    Welcoming back the defectors, the PDP governorship candidate, Sen Sandy Onor, said: “Cross Riverians are tired of lies and deceit and that is why in the last two months we have been receiving thousands of defectors from APC.

    “It shows that they are dissatisfied with the system. So, we have to stand up for the truth because everything about Cross River has collapsed. We had better rose up against maladministration and marginalisation.

    “We promise that together we shall deliver, if elected, with the fear of God. We are going to witness a new era of prosperity and you shall all be witnesses and party to the prosperity.”

     

    • Present at the event to receive the defectors include former Deputy Governor, Efiok Cobham, the Deputy Chairman of PDP, Ntufam Dennis Nkiri, state women leader, Mrs Florence Inyang, Hon Asu Okang, former commissioner for information, member Boki 1 state House of Assembly, Hon Itam Abang, former member representing Etung state constituency, Dr Pauline Ekuri, Ntunkai Grace Eyo Ita, and Paul Ishabor, DG, RECLAIM CROSS RIVER.

  • Dr George Ekpungu Mourn Late Aunt, Says She Was A Rare Gem

     

    Secretary to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Dr George Abang Ekpungu, has mourned the demise of his late mother’s only surviving sister, late Mrs Dymphina Barong Kubua who passed unto eternal glory on September 11, 2022 in Boki LGA, Cross River.

    In his tribute to his late Aunt at the funeral which was held at Njua-Kaku in Boki LGA on October 1 2022, Dr Ekpungu said he received the news of his Aunt’s demise with utter shock, but complete submission to the will of God.

    “To say I am pained by this unfortunate incident and your untimely death is an understatement.

    “I grieve for you Aunty Dymphina, my late mother’s only surviving sister.

    “I bow to the Lord’s sovereign right to bring both joy
    and suffering into the lives of His servants. We cannot question our Omnipotent God, and find solace in the words of the Psalmist who proclaims that the Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

    “In all things. God works for the good of those who love Him. In life, you were loved and admired, and in death, you are loved even more”.

    According to Dr Ekpungu, the world has lost a rare gem and a loving wife, mother, sister and aunty.

    He noted that his late Aunt was so dear to him, having treated him like a mother would.

    “After the demise of my mother and her siblings, you gave us a symbol of hope and happiness, and therefore I grief dearly for your untimely departure.

    “Your love for me was never in doubt, and I promise to extend same to your children even as you depart this sinful world. I believe that God has taken
    you to himself; though we love you greatly, but God loves you more.

    “May your gentle soul rest in peace until we meet to part no more,” he added.

    Dignitaries at the event included an Abuja based Lawyer, Barr. Victor Okangbe, A senior Lecturer with the Federal College of Education, Obudu, Mr Anselem Ekpungu, friends of Dr Ekpungu, family members among many others.

  • Biase Front Declares Support For Senator Sandy Onor

     

    A sociopolitical group, Biase Front has declared total support and commitment to the aspiration of Senator Prof *Sandy Ojang Onor in a bid to reclaim Cross River State.

    The group made this known on September 29th, 2022 during a courtesy visit to the incoming Governor at his residence in Calabar, the Cross River State capital.

    During the visit, the group donated flex banners and presented an Award of Excellence for outstanding performance, hardwork and deligence in the discharge of his duty as Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    Speaking on behalf of the group, Mr Mba Kanu described the group as a conglomerate of rural dwellers with possession of Permanent Voters Card (PVC) as the major criterion for membership, determined to change the narratives of governance in Cross River State.

    Mba noted that “We have made up out minds to work for this project, to Reclaim Cross River. We believed when we work hard we would be in a better position to demand for the dividends of democracy. We want to assure you that the delegation you see here on behlf on many others that are not here is strongly behind you in the struggle to reclaim Cross River State.”

    Responding, Senator Onor said: “I’m very excited this morning; I love the songs and I love the seriousness. Thank you so much for your quality time, for your dedication and for your commitment. Be rest assured that we would flow together and benefit together. One of the greatest tragedy of politics is not being able to carry people along. By the grace of God we would carry people along. We would remain true and constant.”

    Caterpillar Movement Media