The Lumine News

Category: Cross River State

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    By: Damaris Onyendi – Calabar

    The Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has described Cross River State as deserving of its coronavirus free status.

    NCDC stated this on Monday during a verification visit to the state.

    The leader of the NCDC team, Dr Omobolanle Olowu, lauded the state governor, Sir Ben Ayade for his strong leadership in the battle against the pandemic, successfully keeping it away from the state.

    “The Federal Government strongly Commends the Action Governor of Cross River State Governor Ben Ayade, and his energetic team who started response in January when others still lived in denial. They (Cross River) deserve to still be without a case of COVID-19.

    “The governor was proactive in shutting down borders, screening visitors and suspected cases and initiating the no mask no movement campaign in Nigeria,” she said.

    She also expressed delight at the level of compliance with the no mask no movement policy of the government.

    Expressing disbelief, she said: “I cannot believe I did not see one person without a face mask from the airport to this office. I guess this explains the results in Cross River State. I commend the state for the great work done. We never knew all these in Abuja. We will tell Mr President all what we have seen.

    “From all I have seen, this is a great response in Nigeria. Cross River has honestly done well. There is a lot to learn from Cross River as best practice for Nigeria. Nigeria should give Cross River State accolades for producing face masks, Face Shield, PPEs in its Garment Factory.”

    She said the NCDC was also satisfied with the contact tracing, Surveillance and testing done so far by the state even as she encouraged the state to do more in that regard.

    “We are happy that the state has a great working relationship with the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital. This is Commendable.

    “Governor Ben Ayade woke up even before the rest of the country. He shut his borders and has been working from the front line. Your Governor is a man with foresight who believes in his people and wants to save his people.”

    Highlight of the teams visit included the official opening of the 100-bed isolation center in Adiabo.

  • Ayade Distibutes Stimulus Package To Vulnerable C’Riverians  -Approves N30,000 monthly salary for new 8000 employees.

    Ayade Distibutes Stimulus Package To Vulnerable C’Riverians  -Approves N30,000 monthly salary for new 8000 employees.

     

    Cross River state governor, Sen Ben Ayade on Wednesday distributed stimulus package to vulnerable persons as well as citizens who cannot fend for themselves due to age or incapacitation across the 18 local government areas of the state.

    Speaking at CROSPIL in Calabar during the distribution of the stimulus package, Ayade declared that he had already approved N30,000 as monthly stipend for beneficiaries of the automatic employment given to 8000 youths between the ages of 18 to 35 in the state starting from Tuesday next week.

    He said, “Distributing food is not the real palliatives ,the real palliative is in giving people jobs .Palliative which is temporal is for poor and vulnerable who cannot fend for themselves.

    “We are starting the real palliative on Tuesday. Whether you are a gardener or cleaner, whatever you can do, we will give a job but we can only pay you 30,000 if you know you need it and want to earn that amount please put down your names and phone numbers; you will be contacted.

    “The food will be shared through our traditional rulers to all the 18 LGAs: We want it to get to the grassroots; this is not about political party. It is about governance; we will also give to churches and various religious organisations to distribute because they know the people well.

    “This is a time to show humanity. Humanity does not know colour or ethnicity. We need to stop spreading fear about the pandemic. What we need is to show the people love especially at this critical time. Fear and hunger is killing people even more than the pandemic.

    “We want to thank President Buhari and the Central Bank of Nigeria for granting us clearance to deliver our rice seedlings to states.

    “We have built industries and made serious investment. Federal government support is key. We need more of their support so that we can achieve more growth and development in our economy and even more”.

  • Ayade ranks top 4th governor in handling the spread of coronavirus

    By Damaris Onyendi

    Senator Ben Ayade has been noticed for his relentless effort in handling the COVID-19 crisis.

    The Cross River State governor ranked 4th in a top 5 list of governors able to curb the spread of the pandemic created by Ripples Nigeria.

    The COVID-19 health crisis has shown Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River State a firm character, cutting the picture of a leader who knows what he wants done and stands stubbornly with it, no matter how unpopular they may appear.

    In an effort to curb the spread of the virus to his state, Ayade made what was an unpopular decision at the time, to close all the state’s borders, air, sea and land!

    With this, the governor effectively shut out who ever was not in Cross River State at the time of the order.

    Ayade has been acting like a man on a mission and appears to be getting the required result of starving off the dreaded disease from the state.

    The decision to shut out 35 oil workers said to be NNPC partners, unless they submitted themselves to tests, speaks eloquently to this claim.

    For Ayade, the protection of citizens deserves both popular and unpopular action, and a stubborn resolve not to bend the rules, no matter who or what institution is involved.

  • Cross River State Government commences payment of YESSO allowance

    Cross River State Government commences payment of YESSO allowance

    Source: Naija Voice

    Cross River State government with the assistance from the World Bank commences payment of Youth Employment and Social support Operations (YESSO) stipends to beneficiaries in Akamkpa local government area to cushion the effect of “stay at home” order occasioned by the Covid-19 pandemic.

    YESSO programme, which run in partnership with the World Bank, offers community service engagement to the vulnerable in the society with a monthly payment of N30,000.

    Dr Inyang Asibong, the State Commissioner for International Development Cooperation, who flagged of the exercise, said the aim was to assist the vulnerable during this period to meet desired needs.

    Asibong explained that the state government approved payment for beneficiaries who are engaged in community services such as sanitation, desilting of gutters, erosion control among others.

    The expressed assurance that all the beneficiaries under YESSO across the state will get their payment accordingly.

    While making payment to the beneficiaries, the Commissioner also donated face masks to them.

    Kudos to Gov. Benedict Ayade for the approval of this payment, especially during this critical period.