President Buhari address #EndSars protesters across the council
The disbanding of SARS is only the first step in our commitment to extensive police reforms in order to ensure that the primary duty of the police and other law enforcement agencies remains the protection of lives and livelihood of our people. pic.twitter.com/XjQMSr3jlm
— Muhammadu Buhari (@MBuhari) October 12, 2020
God rewards good works.
I need to tell this story especially for those of us who find ourselves in position of authority, or hold one office or the other in trust for the people.
I recall when Imoke came onboard as governor, he awarded the contract for the interlocking kerbs from the bottom hill to the summit of the Obudu ranch resort.
This was to further secure the lives of visitors to the ranch who use their cars up the ranch. It could be recalled that so many lives have been lost on the Obudu ranch mountain road either due to break failures or other mechanical faults.
So it became necessary to assure visitors of their safety while commuting up and down the ranch.
H E, then Senator Ben Ayade had lost the Mum and as usual with Imoke, went to Obudu to first attend the vigil night and the church service the next day.
We left Calabar a little late for Obudu. I drove with H E, the Deputy Governor in his car; while Senator Ndoma Egba drove with H E Imoke.
We had a good time out with H E, then Senator Ayade who given his sociable nature ensured everybody on the convoy was well taken care of.
We departed Obudu a little late that night to sleep over in the ranch so we could come for the church service the next day.
For some of us who have visited the ranch especially going up the ranch at night will attest to the fact that the ranch at night becomes foggy. Midway on our journey up the ranch, H E, the deputy governor looked back in the foggy weather and said to me that he can’t sight the headlights of H E cars.
He then asked his driver to make a U turn, but it was dangerous given that the whole place had become so foggy. We got down and started trekking back to see if we could sight the headlights of H E’s convoy.
We had trekked for some 30min down the hill, when we sighted the headlights of the convoy. When we reached where the cars were, we realized there had been an accident involving H E. Apparently, the driver had slept off and the car was going into the ditch. The CSO who was Infront manuvoured the steering and the car came crashing on the kerbs.
H E had a fracture on his right hand which kept him away from work for several weeks because he needed an operation.
I just remembered that incident and I ask myself, if those kerbs were not in place; the obvious may have happened.
So when you are in office or position of authority, build that health centre, because you may never know if the first aid you need to survive in an emergency would be provided by that facility. Build that school because the child who goes to that school, might become a medical doctor tomorrow who might save your life.
God rewards good works, and because Senator Imoke had constructed those interlocking kerbs to safeguard other people’s lives, God used his good work to save his life.
No fewer than 350 Communities across the 18 Local Government Areas of Cross River state have benefitted from the State Community and Social Development Agency (CSDA) Projects.
The Cross River State Government, World Bank Assisted project is a Community Driven Development (CDD) and intervention mechanism designed for improving empowerment, service delivery and local governance through empowerment of people in the local communities.
Speaking during a post completion and Project sustainability workshop organised by the Agency in Calabar, the Commissioner for International Development Corporation, Dr Inyang Asibong said that over 900 community projects in all the 18 local government areas have been executed.
According to Asibong, the Agency has empowered more citizens at the local government levels, with improved service delivery, accountability, transparency and effective communication in the last five years of Governor Ben Ayade’s administration more than ever.
The commissioner while encouraging the beneficiaries to sustain the assets created in their various communities, warned that Government will not provide further support to any community who fails to maintain and sustain previous projects in their domain, including health centres, boreholes and classroom blocks.
The Board Chairman of the Agency, Sir Toni Ikpeme commended the communities for implementing thier projects according to standards and specifications. He encouraged them to apply community level strategies to maintain and sustain the assets.
Also Speaking at the event, the Acting General Manager of the Agency, Mr Fidel Udie commended Governor Ayade for funding the Agency to provide support to Communities especially in the height of the COVID 19 pandemic.
The workshop had relevant line MDAs in attendance, with beneficiaries from several communities where issues of home grown sustainability strategies were discussed, such that benefits can be guaranteed over a long period.
By Elijah Ugani – Calabar
The Chairman of Obanliku Local Government Council, Evangelist Mrs. Margaret Inde, has stated that God used the Ayades to perfect his plans of making her Chairman of Obanliku Local Government Council.
The Chairman disclosed this during the thanksgiving service held in her honor at Message Point Assembly, No. 199 Parliamentary Road, Calabar on Sunday October 11th, 2020.
In her words “I want to thank God for this day, indeed God is still using his own to perfect his plans. I would not have become Chairman of Obanliku if not for my dear mothers, Dr. Linda Ayade and Mrs. Elizabeth Frank Ayade. I was at this alter praying and asking God to have his way, while here praying, the wife of the Governor was busy calling and asking me if all was OK with me. They ensured that everything went according to God’s plan.
“Prior to the election, I had a dream that President Umaru Musa Yaradua of blessed memory, visited Calabar, and in that dream, he singled me out and asked me to come to him at the podium and I did, he made me sat beside him. After the function he came for, he flown me to Abuja, gave me a position and showed me a mansion to live in, that was the libration for me.
“When I woke up and realized it was a dream, at first I wasn’t comfortable, and couldn’t believe myself, but I had to believe God and waited for the appointed time, and that time is now.
“I see that God has used the Ayades in place of the late Yaradua, the former President of this country. I want to thank God for a dream come true.
“I’m grateful first to God Almighty for his magnanimity and love towards me for this opportunity to serve my people in spite of my unworthiness, secondly to the Ayade family for the support and believe in me, in fact, I am a foster child of the Ayades. Also, my parents in the Lord, Apostle and Mrs. Bassey Udosen who have always prayed and prophesied for me.
“I had another dream when God told me that I was going to build a house for him, and I asked myself, how can a civil servant whose salary was just seventy thousand naira build a house for God.
“I didn’t know that God has something great for me and that he will provide the fulcrum for me to begin this project of building a temple for the Lord, it is on this premise that I want to call on you all who have identified with me today in thanksgiving to the Lord to join me to support the building of this church”
Earlier, Apostle Bassey Udosen, admonished the congregation to utilize the opportunity they have while still alive for the service of God and mankind.
He noted that nothing will be important when we breath the last, are the things we did while we were alive. He charged all present to consider living a life of impartation and good deeds.
The man of God used the opportunity and prayed for Governor Ben Ayade and his Deputy as well as the Chairman of Obanliku, Evangelist Mrs. Margaret Inde, he asked for God’s guidance, and that his favours and grace to directs her affairs as she steers the ship of Obanliku local government council to an enviable height.
The Deputy of Cross River State, Prof. Ivara Esu, joined the Chairman of Obanliku local government council in thanksgiving and made a donation for the church building project.
Also, the wife of the Governor, Dr. Linda Ayade was visibly filled with with joy to be in the Lord’s presence and used the opportunity to pray God Almighty to grant the Chairman whose emergence is a manifestation of his plan, the grace to complete the work he (God) has started in the life of his dear daughter, Evangelist Mrs. Margaret Inde. She further joined the Deputy Governor and made a contribution to the church building project.
The thanksgiving was graced by numerous friends, fans, supporters, PDP party faithfuls, Council Chairmen of the 17 local government areas, well wishers of the Chairman too numerous to mention who made their donations to support the church building project.
Culled From Punch
The Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, has announced the dissolution of the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad of the Nigeria Police Force.
He said the operatives will be redeployed to other police formations and commands.
Adamu announced this in a live broadcast on Sunday afternoon.
The announcement came after days of online and offline protests against the brutality and extra-judicial killings by SARS operatives nationwide.
At the briefing, the IGP said, “The Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad of the Nigeria Police Force otherwise known as SARS is hereby dissolved in all the 36 State Police Commands and the Federal Capital Territory.”
By Elijah Ugani – Calabar
The Senator representing Cross River Central Senatorial District, Sen. Prof. Sandy Ojang Onor has stated that he is working towards assembling machinery and other materials that will bless the fortunes of his constituents through a mega empowerment programme planned for 2021.
The lawmaker disclosed this to The Lumine News when contacted to comment on the just concluded five days Entrepreneurship Development programme for Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria he facilitated, held at his Constituency Office, No. 1, Okim Osabor Street, 4 Corners – Ikom Local government Area of Cross River State.
In his words “We are poised to provide the twenty first century representation through effective legislation on issues that bother on the wellbeing of Central Senatorial District, Cross River State and the country at large, which is the primary function of a lawmaker.
“We are assembling machinery, equipment and materials as we plan towards a mega empowerment programme next year. We will capture all of them that have been trained according to their skills”
The Senator maintained that “I decided on purpose to facilitate the five days Entrepreneurship Development training because of my desire which is born through genuine intention to empower my constituents, through the mega empowerment, come next year.
“For any intervention or empowerment to be sustainable and result oriented, you must design a framework that guarantees effective implementation. This motivated me to facilitate the five days Entrepreneurship Development training, preparatory to the mega empowerment.
“The mega empowerment we envisage will sure guarantee sustainable development and create wealth for my constituents.
“I’m very delighted to see participants come out in their numbers to attend the five days Entrepreneurship Development Training. With the report I got from the field, I can assure you that we are at the right trajectory to realizing our dream of the mega empowerment come next year”
The training is intended to encourage Small and Medium Enterprises in Nigeria to reduce the pressure of unemployment in the society.
Some of the beneficiaries expressed satisfaction with the programme and expressed their gratitude to Sen. Prof. Sandy Onor, who they described as God sent who understands the needs of his people in every season, as they pledged to apply their new techniques acquired during the training in their already existing businesses.
By Elijah Ugani – Calabar
The Cross River State Governor, Sen. Ben Ayade has called on the enumerators for the conduct of National Census of Commercial and Industrial Businesses (NCCIB) in Nigeria to undertake a thorough, detailed and comprehensive job, considering the significance of the data, which is to determine intervention by both World Bank and International Organizations.
Ayade made the call while he declared open a three day training of 64 data collectors/enumerators to be deployed to the 18 local government areas of the state.
The Governor was represented in the event by the Commissioner for Industries, Mr. Peter Egba, and held that “I want to use this opportunity to call on the enumerators undergoing this training to be more committed now than ever to ensure a thorough and detailed data collection during this exercise as the data collected from this survey will form the basis for intervention by both the World Bank and International Organizations.
“This survey will not have come at a better time than now considering the number of industries this administration is building.
It will provide both the government and private sector as well as farmers the opportunity to identify raw materials for a particular industry. The Feed Mill Industry for instance, necessarily follows that one should know that the need for the cultivation of yellow maize and soya beans is very necessary, since they will be off takers”
Delivering the keynote address, the South South Zonal Controller of National Bureau of Statistics, Mr. Oboh Ismaila, noted that the exercise is going on simultaneously in all the 36 states of the federation including FCT. This exercise provides us the opportunity to right the wrongs currently going on in Nigeria.
He revealed that this exercise was last held in Nigeria in 1997/1998.
“Left for the federal government alone, this exercise will not hold, but the World Bank has facilitated this process.
“Keynote address is to make appeal, I hereby appeal to cross river state government to take ownership of the process by providing the security needed by the enumerators to undertake a thorough and comprehensive job” he added.
He called on the Commissioner, Local Government Affairs to step up and get the Local Government Chairmen on board to drive the process.
He however charged the enumerators to brace up to the challenges associated with the tedious nature of the assignment. All the 18 LGAs, villages have been segmented and must be covered.
Earlier, the Statistician General of the State, Dr. Josephat Ogar, stated that “policies are developed from challenges, we have gaps that will enable us to identify these challenges.
We are gather here to train you to collect data that will enable us address these challenges. This exercise is to last for 50 days, kindly consider making yourself available to enter the nooks and crannies of the state to get data that will form the fulcrum of our developmental agenda.
“Industries, Businesses and Enterprises in the state should support the census or Enterprise survey by making information available to the Enumerators that would come around to interview them.
“This is so because Enterprises would be the first beneficiaries of the data which would inform interventions around Enterprise development and assistance.
The exercise is not for taxation but purely for development planning and intervention”
On his part, the state Acting Director of National Orientation Agency, Mr. Ogban Ammissine Usetu, noted that “since independence, Nigeria has struggled to tap properly and positively her human and material potentials to kick start and establish a very strong and sustainable industrial base, this can only happen when we put in place a strong, verifiable national and state records, statistics and sustainable supervision as I implore this programme to achieve.
“The National and State Bureau of Statistics are to be commended for coming together to put records straight by the conduct of National Census of Commercial and Industrial Businesses. It will be very much advisable to give ample considerations by looking the direction of the micro, small and medium scale enterprises, as these are the bedrock of industrial growth in the economy”
The National Census of Commercial and Industrial Businesses in Nigeria is organized by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) in collaboration with World Bank under the Fiscal Governance and Institutions Project (FGIP).
The objectives of the census is to determine the growth of businesses, both formal and informal in Nigeria, to assist in the development of a national directory of commercial and business establishments as well as provide the country with comprehensive and detailed information about the structure of the economy.
The training is to last between 6th – 8th October, 2020 while field work is to commence from 12th October – 3rd December, 2020.
By Elijah Ugani – Calabar
As part of the activities to mark the installation of the 40th President of Rotary Club of Calabar, Mr. Sam Atsu was presented with an award of Professional Service, in recognition of his unique and sterling services to the Cross River State government and the society.
The event was held on Saturday, 3rd October, 2020 at 520 Kolanut Event Centre, Barracks Road, Calabar.
Presenting the award, the newly installed President of the Club, Chief Peter Ojie PhD, described Mr. Sam Atsu as a gentleman of very high moral standard and repute, a technocrat who has created a niche for himself in Finance and Administration, who spent his life in the United Kingdom developing his potentials with tact and proficiency in line with global best practices.
On invitation by the governor, Mr. Sam Atsu left his family in the United Kingdom to offer services to the Cross River State government as Senior Special Adviser on Treasury and Audit.
Apart from the professional services he renderes, Mr. Atsu’s exceptional display of humility and humane sacrifices in the discharge of his duties is soul edifying.
The Club’s President maintained that “Mr. Sam Atsu is not a politician, but having admired his humility and proficiency, his aura and passion for humanity which aligns completely with the tenets of Rotary Club, we have to select him for this award.
“Mr. Sam Atsu is a gentleman to watch and I have decided to mentor him politically, when I’m done with him, he will sure be a sought after in our political space”
Responding after the award, Mr. Sam Atsu dedicated the award to all technocrats the world over who channel their expertise to the ideals of the society for the good of the common man.
“This award came to me a surprise, I never knew that there is something that I’m doing right that caught the attention of Rotary Club. Having come to the realization that I share similar views about life with Rotary Club, I have no reason whatsoever not to join the club.
“I see this award as a call and motivation to sustain my services to humanity using my expertise” he added.
Those who were awarded during the installation ceremony include: Sen. Prof. Ben Ayada, Governor of Cross River State, Dr. Emmanuel A. Akabe, Deputy Governor, Nassarawa State, Prof. Sandy Onor, Sen. Ndoma Egba, Rt. Hon. Legor Idagbo, Rt. Hon. Eteng J. William, Rt. Hon. Peter Odey, High Chief Eugene Akeh, Mr. Chris Agara Esq, Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Bekomson, Prof. Thomas Agan, Mr. Patrick Ugbe, Dr. Janet Ekpenyong, Mrs. Stella Odey-Ekpo, Mrs. Blessing Egbara amongst others.
Rotary Club International was founded in 1905 by a Chicagoan Attorney named Paul Harris to encourage professionals with diverse backgrounds to exchange ideas and form meaningful, lifelong friendships for humanitarian services.
It is an international non-profit service organization, made up of communities, business and professional Leaders united in the ideals of service to advance goodwill and peace around the world.
The Club has over 1.22 million Rotarians organized into 35,000 Clubs and 535 Districts in over 200 countries and geographical regions.
The club encourages high ethical standards in all circular professions.
By Admin
Even with the chequered history of the Cross River state government in managing state owned companies, governor Ayade insisted from take-off that he believes government has business doing business.
He didn’t stop there; he argued his point very explicitly, citing similar models from other parts of the world. Additionally, he has created a cluster of industries that are supposed to provide jobs for Cross Riverians and revenue to decouple the State from federal allocations, in the words of the professor governor.
In the Ayade Industrial Park, unmistakably visible from the aircraft as you touch down Margaret Ekpo international airport, along the Goodluck Jonathan by-pass in Calabar alone, we have:
1. Cross River state Garment Factory.
2. Cross River State Rice Seeds And Seedlings Factory (Rice City).
3. Cross River State Pharmaceutical Production Company (Calapharm).
4. Cross River state Chicken Processing Plant (Calachika).
5. Eastern Instant Noodles (CallyNoddles).
6. The Fabrication Academy of West Africa is also located in Calabar but not in the Ayade industrial park.
7. There is the Banana Plantation and Processing farm in Odukpani. (That one is already dead sef.)
8. Poles, Piles and Pylon factory in Akamkpa.
9. Ekori Toothpick Factory. I don’t know which market I have seen it, not even in government functions.
10. Ultra Modern Cocoa Processing Factory in Ikom.
11. Ultra Modern Rice Processing Mill in Ogoja.
12. Roof tile Manufacturing Plant in Ogoja.
13. Groundnut Processing Factory in Bekwara.
But these projects are as highfaluting as they sound. Only the garment factory and the rice city have people who still resume for work with all the bottle necks and they are still paid from government purse like civil servants, while the other companies are at various levels of construction, some barely taking off, some stalled. I am not quite sure about the present state of the Ekori toothpick factory. Even the government does not patronize its own toothpick.
The State House of Assembly has repeatedly expressed concerns about the sustainability of these companies and asked the governor to privatize them. The Speaker and the Majority Leader of the House have said in different fora that the companies were gulping more from government purse than they generate and urged the governor to privatized them. The House also passed a resolution to that effect.
Other stakeholders have also expressed worry about the ability of the Ayade government to privatize the assets of the companies transparently owing to the lack of transparency and acquisitionist tendencies of his government.
Also, besides the fact that these industries are over priced due to the different levels of corruption padded into the procurement processes, the shareholding and/or ownership of the Special Purpose Vehicles SPVs that were incorporated to run these companies are shrouded in ominous secrecy. Only governor Ayade, his younger brother and co-governor Franco Ayade, DG Due Process, Alphonsus Eba and Commissioner for Industry Peter Egba, seem to be abreast of those details and they are not willing to tell Cross Riverians the whole truth.
Then, the most excruciating challenge for these companies is that the governor does not have the money and time to see his intentions through. No matter how well meaning he may be, he has put his hands in too many pies and the reality is that, he can only get enough allocation to barely pay salaries and manage to ramp a few things together before he begins his 2023 departure/survival race.
And the possibility is that these companies will not survive after May 29, 2023, after which they will become luxury apartments for reptiles and rodents. And very painfully, the lame excuse as usual will be that “My successor failed to continue from where I stopped.”
But right now that voices of reason are calling for a rethink, the governor will not listen. It is a familiar path. $450million was spent on developing Tinapa by Donald Duke. With all the projections and good intentions, Tinapa failed and the rest is history. Ask Ayade if he continued with Imoke’s projects and why he should expect his successor to continue with his!
I really wish the story will change, that the graph will take a different curve, but the signs are clear that we are not, so yet again, we are on course to building another set of monuments that will stand as a painful reminder of the inability of our governor to blend, vision, passion, fantasy and reality.
Yours sincerely,
Citizen Agba Jalingo.
#968DaysToGo
#AyadeLegacy
#ShineYourEyes
#FollowOurMoney
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed here are strictly that of Agba Jalingo and does not represent the views of The Lumine News or its staff.
By Elijah Ugani – Calabar
The Chairman of Obudu Local Government Council, Hon. Boniface Ewhe has called on the National Boundary Commission NBC, to use the 1914 boundary line and bacon to properly demarcate the boundary between Benue and Cross River states to curb the incessant communal disputes between the two states.
Hon. Ewhe made the call during the stakeholders meeting with the Cross River State Boundary Committee today, October 2nd in Government House, Calabar, in preparation for an enlarged meeting with the National Boundary Commission NBC, in Abuja.
The Chairman named the communities affected by the lingering communal skirmishes with the Benue counterparts to include; Abonkib, Igwo, Ukwortung, Mgbenege and Ukpirinyi.
The Chairman expressed disenchantment over the rate of destruction suffered by his people owing to the Federal Government’s inability to join the coordinates of the boundary line where beacons were not planted, Which makes it easy for the Benue counterparts to trespass and cause havoc. He however commended the steadfastness and resolve of his people to maintain law and order, while they await the intervention of the National Boundary Commission.
The Chairman used the opportunity to commend the Chairman of the National Boundary Commission NBC, for his resolve to find lasting solution to the interstate incessant communal clashes, and charged the commission to give the demarcation exercise the urgency it deserves to avert further breakdown of law and order.
The Council boss however commended the painstaking efforts of Sir Lord Lugard for the great job done which makes it very easy for the National Boundary Commission NBC.
The Chairman recalled previous efforts made by the commission to resolve the boundary challenges which has always been stalled due to some reasons that have never been disclosed to the people who are at the receiving end of the tunnel, with resultant effects on lost of lives and properties Worth millions of naira. He further called NBC to swing into action expeditiously.
Mr. Ewhe reiterates the commitment of the people of Obudu Local Government Area to maintain peace and order and called on the Cross River State government to give NBC the support it deserves to ensure that the boundary line and beacons are planted now that the National Boundary Commission NBC, is set to bring lasting solution to the affected local government areas.
The Chairman paid special commendation to the Deputy of Cross River State who doubles as the Chairman of the State Boundary Commission, Prof. Ivara Esu who is also billed to lead the delegation to meet with the National Boundary Commission NBC, in Abuja for his dogged disposition and resilience in the pursuit of a lasting boundary between Cross River and neighbouring states and maintained that he is more decisive and resolute now than ever to pursue the demarcation exercise in Obudu to a logical conclusion.