The Lumine News

Category: Opinion

Propositions For Cross River NASS Members To The 10th NASS (III)… BY AGBA JALINGO

Propositions For Cross River NASS Members To The 10th NASS (III)…

Opportunity Statement

The Obudu Dam Resort, (Not the Ranch), is a multi purpose facility that provides recreational as well as the essential commodity, water to communities around its environs.

Located in Ukwel-Obudu, (my mother’s village), less than 10 kilometers from the Obudu central bus terminal, the dam was destroyed by flood back in 2005 according to Patriot Abohson Sunday, who works at the resort.

“Since then, people only visit the dam during festivities like Valentine’s day and may be Christmas” he says.

The Federal Government on Wednesday 14th August 2012, at a meeting of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) presided over by President Goodluck Jonathan, approved the contract sum of N1.165 billion for the rehabilitation of the dam.

Briefing State House correspondents after that particular FEC meeting, former Minister of Water Resources, Mrs. Stella Ochekpe, (currently in jail for corruption), accompanied by her former Information counterpart, Labaran Maku, lamented that the dam, which has a storage capacity of 1.25 million cubic meters, had been in an awful state, thereby affecting regional urban water supply in some communities in the area.

She said a memo was raised and submitted to the Council to enable the government of Cross River State embark on its regional urban water supply project, which will cover four communities: Obudu, Ogoja, Ikom, and Calabar.

She further revealed that, “The Cross River State government has, since 2005, gotten an International Development Association (IDA) loan to develop the regional water scheme that will meet the needs of these communities in Cross River. But because of the state of Obudu Dam, it has been impossible for that project to commence. The contract was awarded at the cost of N1.165 billion.”

The contract for the rehabilitation was awarded to Consolidated Construction Limited, CCL. In another development, the World Bank in collaboration with the Ministry of Water Resources and the Cross River State Water Board Limited, CRSWBL contracted Lilleker Brothers Limited, LBL to construct a water treatment plant, with the second phase being the construction of reticulation channels to benefiting neighboring communities.

When completed, the dam was expected to facilitate the irrigation of about 100 hectares of agricultural land, boost fisheries and promote tourism in the northern part of the State. Details of the contract were headlined across the country and hopes were again high that life will return to the dam in no time, though some stakeholders had cautioned residents not to be too optimistic.

True to the caution, the contract sum was misappropriated. But the good news is that, some of the thieves, former Minister of Water Resources, Sarah Ochekpe, Evans Leo, Sunday Jitong and Raymond Dabo, are in jail, after the EFCC secured their conviction.

*Propositions*

1. Immediate fact finding and on-the-spot visit to the Obudu Dam site by a powerful delegation led by the Senator for Northern Cross River, Jarigbe Agom and the House of Reps Member-Elect, Peter Akpanke, and other colleagues.

2. Immediate fact finding visit to the Federal Ministry of Water Resources.

3. Produce a public report on the current state of facilities at the dam, the state of the IDA loan, the whereabout of the FG contract money, and what is currently required to revamp the Dam.

4. Present same to the relevant oversight committees of the NASS and lobby for urgent attention, including headlining same in the same manner the news of the contract award made headlines.

5. Lobby the relevant committees of NASS to make adequate appropriation in the next cycle for commencement of work at the Dam.

This effort should be led by Senator Jarigbe Agom, Peter Akpanke and all their colleagues from Cross River, going to the 10th NASS.

Content from CrossRiverWatch/Jonathan Ugbal.

Yours sincerely,
Citizen Agba Jalingo.

March 11, 2023
Propositions For Cross River NASS Members To The 10th NASS (II)… BY AGBA JALINGO

Propositions For Cross River NASS Members To The 10th NASS (II)…

Opportunity Statement

In February 2017, the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology and Cross River State launched a waste-to-wealth program in Calabar. The Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, laid the foundation for a plant to process waste-to-wealth at the Idundu Industrial Layout in Calabar. The project was also targeted at the production of biogas, organic waste, and feeds for aquatic culture in the State as well as create thousands of jobs and livelihoods.

Since the ground breaking was done, the project has remained stalled. This writer reliably gathered that funds that were released for the project never made it out of Abuja and the answers to where the funds ended can best be obtained by our 10th Assembly NASS Members as part of their duties.

Propositions

1. As part of their oversight functions, the NASS committees both in the Red and Green chambers, that have individual or over lapping oversight roles over the Ministry of Science and Technology needs to be engaged immediately.

2. Direct consultation and fact finding meetings to the Ministry of Science and Technology, should also be prioritized.

3. If funding for the project wasn’t adequate, what can be done and done on time too, to ensure that the next NASS appropriation makes adequate supplement for the project?

4. Was there anything that was supposed to be done by our own State government; failure of which is stalling the project and how can that be resolved?

5. Having been grounded since 2017, fresh vigorous effort is required to bring it back to the front burner. Who needs to be lobbied or impressed or reminded of what they failed to do?

This effort should be championed by Senator-Elect, Asuquo Ekpenyong Jr. at the Senate and Hon Bassey Akiba at the HoR, supported by all NASS Members from Cross River State to the 10th NASS.

…. _To be continued tomorrow_ …

Yours sincerely,
Citizen Agba Jalingo.

March 10, 2023
Propositions For Cross River NASS Members To The 10th NASS (I) BY AGBA JALINGO

Propositions For Cross River NASS Members To The 10th NASS (I).

Opportunity Statement:

Under Governor Ayade, the Cross River State Ministry of Solid Minerals, obtained exploration licenses for mineral resources from the federal government. The licenses included a quarry lease for granite, an exploration license for limestone, clay, and shale as well as a reconnaissance permit. This was and still remains a huge milestone because the Mineral Resources Act 2007 vests the total control and appropriation of mineral resources on the federal government. Getting the mining licenses was therefore a massive opening for our State to directly participate in the exploration of our natural endowment.

In February 2021, the Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel Development announced that an artisanal and small-scale mineral processing cluster will be established in Cross River State and will be completed within six months. The Minister of State, Uche Ogar, disclosed this in Calabar while he was receiving title documents for a five-hectare land donated by the Cross River State government in Yala LGA for the project. Under the project, the Federal Government was to embark on infrastructural development within the cluster area such as a barite processing plant, mining equipment leasing bay, training center, warehouse, and office complex among other amenities, that can potentially create over 10,000 direct jobs.

*Some Oversight Suggestions:*

1. Can the Mineral Resources Act 2007 be amended to give States increased stake and access to their mineral resources? If it can, an amended bill should be drafted immediately.

2. What is the strategy for engaging with lawmakers from Ogun, Kogi, and other mineral resource rich States, to achieve the goal of pushing the amendment through, based on shared interest?

This collaboration based on shared interest across several States will create the robust and necessary initial buy-in for the amended bill.

3. What is the oversight intervention required to push through with the Federal Ministry of Mines and Minerals, to make sure that the mineral processing cluster that was to be established in six months in Yala returns immediately?

4. Who did what and who did not do what and what was left to be done on the part of our State or the FG?

5. On whose table(s) did the files stop and to which table(s) were the files meant to go next?

6. Who is in the NASS committee which oversights the Ministry of Mineral Resources or any other relevant committee that needs to be engaged and lobbied to ensure every bottleneck is cleared for the return of the project?

These questions may lead to increased Appropriation to the Ministry to fast-track the project, as well as reveal the reasons the project was stalled and also provide opportunity for effective oversight.

This should be led by Senator Jarigbe Agom, at the Senate and Hon. Godwin Offiono at the HoR and supported by all other NASS Members from Cross River who are going to the 10th NASS.

….. _To be continued…_

Yours sincerely,
Citizen Agba Jalingo.

March 10, 2023
Why Obono Obla And The APC HIERARCHY Are Afraid Of The Military BY DOMINIC KIDZU

WHY OBONO OBLA AND THE APC HIERARCHY ARE AFRAID OF THE MILITARY

By Dominic kidzu

Chief Obono Obla has been on overdrive since last week’s polls throwing tantrums like a baby in need of its feeding bottle. In doing so he has told dozens of lies against the PDP and the Nigerian military and is generally confirming what we already knew that the APC is scared of the coming governorship and House of Assembly polls because of its tattered performance in the two tenures of its misrule at all levels.

Obla would like the general public to believe the ruse that it was not the government at various levels that deployed the military to give security cover on election day as has been the tradition over the years. In his wild goose chase he seems to be suggesting that a private citizen or some set of private citizens actually brought out the military on election duty nationwide.

To remind Obono Obla, who has really not been able to return to normalcy ever since he was disgraced out of office at the federal level with accompanying embarrassing legal suits that tended to have reduced his claims to intellectual and legal high ground, no one outside the Commander In Chief of the federal republic and his military generals can move the military around the country.

Obono Obla should recall that President Buhari, the leader of the APC and the country made an announcement just before the elections ordering the military to shoot at sight people who steal election materials or try to intimidate voters. If members of his party fell foul of this order and were duely arrested or disciplined, Obla should not go about in search of scapegoats because he will not find any.

What Obla has inadvertently laid bare is his frustration at the capacity of the Nigerian military to deny his party members the opportunity to use cult groups, bandits and cutthroats to intimidate voters and steal electoral materials to formulate criminal and unverifiable victory. Even when a fine gentleman and level headed media man and politician in his party, Ritchie Romanus gently cautioned him against his wild scaremongering, Obla employed hack writers to insult him in a voluminous poorly written response.

The Nigerian military is not a party in this election nor does it have a dog in the fight. Imagine what would have happened in Ugep and several other areas if military personnel were not on election duty with highly respected individuals resorting to brute force in order to win by any means necessary, even if several people were killed in the process. The military high command is advised to ignore and disregard the vituperations of Obono Obla as mere sound and fury without substance. The military will surely return on election duty on March 11, and there is nothing Obono Obla and his like can do about that.

March 5, 2023
Sometimes There Are Situations In Life That Only The Mountain Top Can Provide Answers BY PETER OBELE

MOUNTAIN TOP

Sometimes there are situations in life that only the mountain top can provide answers. Both Abraham and Jesus went to the mountain top and their lives were never the same again. Jesus, with Peter, James, and John went to the mountain top to pray and the whole heavenly court was on the side of Jesus. They heard the voice of the invisible God saying, “This is my chosen Son: listen to him.” (Luke 9:35). Abraham was able to receive the blessing of being the father of all nations because he was willing to go to the mountain top (Gen. 12:1-4). Moses encountered God on the mountain, and so did Elijah. By mountain top, we are referring to that changing experience of prayer in your life that leaves you a completely different person.

In life, we sometimes experience absurdities that fill our minds with doubts; situations that could lead us to give up the faith and at times like that we ask, “Where is God?”. For example, the just concluded election results in Nigeria left many wondering whether or not God is still in control. For some, it was nothing short of subvertion of justice that could lead to crisis. But let the will of God be done. At other times, we face crises such as terminal illnesses, breakdown of marital relationships, discord between friends and family members etc. At times like this, we feel like the whole world is collapsing right under our noses. It is precisely at times luke this we need to go up the mountain top of our prayer lives and ask God to help us see things from his own point of view

By the time God grants us such a glimpse of his divine guidance, we will realize that all our troubles in this life are short-lived and in Gods time everything will fall into place. Then, we would have the courage to accept the apparently meaningless situations of this life, knowing well that through it all, God is not only in control, but he is on our side. All it takes is a little glimpse of heaven, to empower us to take up our crosses and follow. Find time during this lenten season to go to the mountain top. Try a programme of prayer this lent and life will never be the same again.

March 4, 2023
Back To South Or Back To Odukpani: Sandy Onor To The Rescue BY ELIJAH UGANI

BACK TO SOUTH OR BACK TO ODUKPANI?

As the quest for redemption of Cross River State from the shackles of maladministration continue to gain momentum with just a few days to the governorship election, where a few persons including Gov Ben Ayade, are gunning for the BACK TO SOUTH agenda, it is imperative to note that, ab initio, while adopting Sen Bassey Otu as governorship candidate and handing the Senate ticket to Asuquo Ekpenyong Jr, was ill- conceived.

While majority of those from southern senatorial district, continue to query the rationale behind handing over both the governorship and senatorial tickets of the All Progressive Congress APC, to same local government council, Odukpani, it is more worrisome to note that with the outcome of the national assembly election last week, where the house of representatives for Calabar/Municipality federal constituency, and southern senatorial district seat were both won by two Odukpani sons, Akiba and Asuquo Ekpenyong Jr.

Although those holding the view that the Member-Elect of the Calabar Municipal/Odukpani federal constituency is a member of Labour Party, it is important to note that it was a miscalculation to have foisted both the governorship and senatorial candidates on the APC from the same local government.

The question that remains unanswered on the lips of the electorates is how will Odukpani local government area hold the House of representatives position, senate and governorship positions at the same time?

Political pundits, supporters/members of the Obidient Movements, and some members of the APC, have recently expressed displeasure with the permutations of governor Ben Ayade, and called on the electorates to cast their votes wisely during the governorship election.

To concentrate very sensitive positions in one local government area, seems to undermine the competencies of very seasoned and competent capacities to return the fortunes of the state to its lost glory.

Sen Sandy Onor, has been around the state for many years, he understudied the administrations of both Gov Donald Duke and Sen Liyel Imoke, when Cross River State used to be positively discussed globally and will deploy the experience acquired over the years to reposition our state.

Maybe it was the will of the Almighty, to cause voters to cast their votes in favor of Akiba and Asuquo Ekpenyong Jr, from same local government area, to expose and situate our thinking in this direction to enable us support the cause of Sen Sandy Onor to reclaim Cross River State.

Sandy Onor is the man with the needed capacities, he understands how local government system functions, having served as Chairman of Etung Local Government Area, State Chairman of ALGON, National Vice President of ALGON and later Acting National President of ALGON. He also served as Chairman, Local Government Service Commission.

March 2, 2023
Cross River North Elections, Put The Blame Where It Is…BY AGBA JALINGO

Cross River North Elections, Put The Blame Where It Is…

While most people in Northern Cross River are relieved by the inability of Governor Ayade to win the Senatorial seat, some busy-bodies particularly from outside the North are whining and dwelling in obtuse dialectics about how Ayade’s appointees from his place failed him.

Can you all please shut that narrative and shut it right away. Even after losing, there is this palpable feeling in the North that more woes should have even befallen him. Most people are like, “good riddance to bad rubbish!” People aren’t celebrating his failure in the North. They are enraged. It’s a decision they had long made; to reject him and they just wanted a violence free election so they can do that and they did. Yet they are still angry at him.

What exactly should his appointees have done? Force people to vote a man that hasn’t done any good for them? What did Ayade himself do? For eight solid years, there is not a single FUNCTIONAL project in Cross River North and that’s the fault of Ayade’s aides?

This man was expected to develop the place he comes from. Not to give people pittance in the name of food-on-the-table for eight years. Paying miscreants monies that civil service directors who have worked for decades don’t earn. He could have done that as a philanthropist and not bother to be Governor. He couldn’t do anything other than optics. Each time I kept writing that this governor is just snapping pictures of painted monuments and speaking big grammar, it is people from outside the North that keep saying I am exaggerating.

But we have an enlightened voter population in Cross River North and the result of the elections is a genuine reflection of the feelings of the people. The losers can’t even allege rigging because they can’t provide evidence anywhere. They are the ones that tried to rig but were resisted.

So people should stop begging the issue in trying to make it look like there was famine in Cross River North and if Ayade appointees had shared money on the streets for the voters, they would have retired Ayade to the Senate. That’s denigrating, demeaning and speaks very little to the educated and enlightened voters of Cross River North, who have expressed themselves in that historic election.

If you chopped your own food-on-the table, and remained for your people and that helped to win your polling unit, kindly accept that the people of Northern Cross River weren’t waiting for such tokenism to mine their votes. They wanted development not carcasses. They got less and they bargained for more elsewhere. That fact should be accepted with due respect as the people have pleased to do. Put the blame where it is…

Yours sincerely,
Citizen Agba Jalingo.

February 28, 2023
To Be Holy, We Must Do Away With Mindsets That Pitch Us Against Our Fellow Human Beings Or Make Us Put Ourselves First In Every Situation In Life BY FR PETER OBELE ABUE

BE HOLY

Before the time of Jesus, to be holy meant to be “withdrawn” from others. The Jews were not allowed to enter the houses of non-Jews, eat with them or even shake hands with them. They would call others, “dogs” and treat them as such. Come to think of it, the only reason they behaved this way was to keep the laws and traditions of their ancestors, which set them apart as a privileged and higher class set of people.

It seems that some people still have that mentality of holiness today, thinking of themselves as different or better or even more religious than others, simply because they keep the rules or belong to a particular group. The truth is that only God can determine who is holy. Now, put that alongside what Jesus himself says about holiness and realise that we human beings still have a hard time understanding what it means to be ‘holy’

Jesus takes holiness a step further by coating it with both personal and social responsibilities. No more “eye for eye” or ‘tooth for tooth” treatments towards those who attempt to hurt us. Instead, he admonishes that we, “turn the other cheek.” No more simply “love your neighbour” but “love your enemy…” (read Mt. 5:38-48). Jesus does not mean we should take it literally and go turning ourselves into those who attack us or calling a feast for those who literally regard themselves as our mortal enemies. That’s not possible, humanly speaking.

What Jesus means is that, to be Holy we must instead:
1. Do away with mindsets that pitch us against our fellow human beings or make us put ourselves first in every situation in life.
2. Avoid writing people off, simply because they do not fit into the mould we have created for them.
3. Take advantage of any ugly situation and create good out of it. For example in this cashless economic situation in Nigeria, what are you doing to make life liveable to those around you by sharing your cash, food, drink or just anything that will make your neighbor feel relieved.

Above all, Jesus says we must make more effort at upgrading ourselves before paying attention to others. Our personal sanctification prepares us towards loving other people more than we do ourselves and that is the first step of holiness.
If we learn to respect our bodies, which is the temple of the Holy Spirit, by avoiding abusive acts with our bodies, we are by that same token, training ourselves to respect other human beings in all ramifications (1 Cor. 3:16-23). Respecting our bodies entail curtailing or avoiding especially sexual acts that for the most part defile us and weaken our spiritual relationship with God. If we do not respect our bodies, we cannot appreciate others and totally commit ourselves to them in a mature, selfless and sacrificial manner.

February 20, 2023
PRO-CHOICE: Today, Even The Basic Choice Of A Credible Presidential Candidate To Change The Course Of Our Dark Past Has Been Subjected To Illogical Arguments About What Party, Tribe Or Religion You Belong To BY FR PETER OBELE ABUE

In Europe and America today, there is this great divide between those who say they are “Pro-life” and others who refer to themselves as “Pro-choice.” This divide gets hotter each year in the month of January as both parties fight over the famous ‘Roe vs Wade’ controversy; the original judicial ruling that gave birth to this controversy. The Pro-choicers argue that they have the freedom to choose to do whatever they wish with their bodies, while Pro-lifers say the opposite. They say that no one, not even God, the Church, or their culture can impose judgment on what they choose to do with their bodies.

They argue that human beings are free to do whatever they like; free to abort a foetus, free to make love to someone of the same sex, even free to marry their dog or break into anyone’s house and steal their property, because might is right. The question is: does this kind of freedom make your action(s) right? You may ask me, who determines what is right or wrong? Well, the answer is ‘God does.’ Ok, you don’t believe in God, what about common sense or the dominant culture?

What is even more ridiculous about this pro-choicers is that those who perpetuate it claim they believe in God. Well if you do, read the scriptures. What does God say about choice? Sirach 15:15-20, especially verses 17-20 says: “before man are life and death, whichever he chooses shall be given him. Immense is the wisdom of the Lord; he is mighty in power and all-seeing. The eyes of God see all he has made; he understands man’s every deed. No man does he command to sin, to none does he give strength for lies”. What is clearer than this? The same God commanded us in the scriptures, “You shall not kill, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not divorce your legally married partner, etc.”

Today, man circumvents the commandments with the excuse of freedom to choose, so as to create caveats that will permit him to do “whatever he/she likes.” Today, even the basic choice of a credible presidential candidate to change the course of our dark past has been subjected to illogical arguments about what party, tribe or religion you belong to. No one makes use of common sense or the goal of building our common patrimony anymore. The truth remains that we cannot choose to do wrong and call it freedom of choice. The arguments will continue but the truth will always prevail and the Truth needs no defence.

Rev Fr Dr Peter Obele Abue is the Vicar General of the Catholic Diocese of Ogoja and the Parish Priest of Holy Family Parish, Ikom Town, Ikom Local Government Area.

February 12, 2023
This Orgy Of Bloodshed And Destruction In Cross River Must Stop BY DOMINIC KIDZU

No one would have thought that the once peaceful local governments in Cross River State would so easily be turned into theatres of war and destruction a few days to the general elections by thugs allegedly hired by the All Progressive Congress against their opponents of the People’s Democratic Party. From Obanliku in the far North to Akpabuyo in the deep South, the orgy of bloodshed and destruction of property belonging to members of the PDP have continued unabated under a decadent administration that seems pleased with the carnage.

Governor Ben Ayade who is constitutionally the chief security officer of the state has looked away with mirth, like Emperor Nero of Rome, while Cross River burns. He has neither taken an official position nor condemned the brigandage. Surely there must be a place where leadership overules politics and where great leaders stand up to be counted. Unfortunately, the chief security officer of Cross River appears only prepared to secure the lives and property of members of the APC , his political party, and not those of dissenting Cross Riverians who gave him the mandate in the first place.

There is no doubt that the Police high command in Nigeria habitually works for the cash and who maintains the supply, in Cross River, the police themselves have entered the arena of conflict, and one couldn’t tell the difference between APC officials and the police high command. The police are organizing sting operations against opponents of the APC and looking the other way while APC thugs maim members of the PDP and destroy their property. There are usually not a single arrest after the mayhem, only bland and meaningless statements that are offered tongue in cheek.

Even the APC apparatchik understand that the Nigerian people are tired of the crass performance of the party at the federal and state levels and the people cannot wait to show them the way out. APC awaits a tragic date at the polls as a fitting recompense for their misgovernance and no level of intimidation will spare them the harsh judgement of history. Stealing and telling lies to the people have been their tragic flaws and they will surely be served the bitter breakfast of hubris, like Icarus in Greek drama who ignored the advice of his father and flew too close to the sun.

Peter Akpanke, the PDP candidate for the House of Representatives in Obanliku/Obudu/Bekwarra federal constituency is not the murderer he is being framed up to be. Peter Akpanke is the King’s horseman, the Elesin Oba that must clean the land from the adultery and socerry of the ruling giants. He is merely a human representation of the rejection of the regime by the people themselves. Like Cervante’s Don Quixote, the APC may continue tilting at the windmills in the vain search for its own redemption in the house of Peter.

Just as there were invasions of the homes of PDP members in Akpabuyo, while the police grops in the dark. The APC must stop the carnage and orgy of bloodshed in our dear state and the intimidation of its citizens. They are the government in power with the patrimony of the people at their disposal. Why then do they fear and fret. Why do they panic and are sorely troubled. Violence is the weapon of those who have lost the argument, those who are weak in mental faculty and failures in their own enterprise. For no matter what they contrive to wreck upon the people, the verdict is already out on the streets that enough is now finally enough. The PDP is determined to take over in Cross River and is moving on to its appointed destiny oblivious of the dogs barking on the walkways.

February 10, 2023