The Lumine News

Category: Opinion

  • Ben Akak Foundation: Touching Lives With Sympathy And Relief

    Ben Akak Foundation: Touching Lives With Sympathy And Relief

    By Ogar Emmanuel Oko

    The Cross River State government under the guide of His Excellency, Sir Benedict Ayade has been lauded by Nigeria Centre of Disease Control (NCDC) for its emulative and forehanded preventive measures put in place to curtail the spread of covid-19 pandemic. Accolades have been trailing this achievement and the governor likes it. We all like it too because, it has placed our beloved state on global map for positive reason and the world sees us with their prism as beacon of hope regarding any eventuality of combating pestilential disease. This is the fruit of proactiveness.

    Albeit, as an individual, I would wish to suggest that the feat be considered a collective achievement and the ultimate glory be ascribed to the Maker of the universe. While this is being considered, we must not bat an eyelid or rest on our oars as the war being waged against the virus is yet over. I so say because it is my deliberate effort to avow that this celebrated feat was achieved with less dissipation of energy as the state government stood on the shoulders of not a few giants in attaining such height. Amongst them, is the Ben Akak Foundation. Though, there are corporate organizations like Skyrun International, United Bank of Africa (UBA) and the rest.

    On the tapis for discussing first is the mentioned foundation. I don’t know when the foundation was established and I don’t care to know because it’s immaterial. All I care to know is its mission and perhaps vision too! The mission is the apparent reflection what they’ve been doing— to better the lives of people and making the world a better place to inhabit!

    When the latent heat of the pandemic started having it impacts being felt, the government having realized that the dependency on each other was necessary mostly at that early turn of the outbreak, and having knew they couldn’t have been self-sufficient in the battle of covid-19; the Health Commissioner in her many advocacies and sensitization exercises called for the assistance of all and sundry to conjoin forces with the state government. Not minding the existing strain on the Foundation’s budget, due to the number of times it has been called upon for help, Ben Akak Foundation took up the gauntlet by answering the noblest and humanistic call by making yet another round of donation.

    Moved by the spirit of gratitude over the solidarity of the Foundation, Dr. Betta Edu said the foundation has gone beyond bound to show enormous support to the state as this is a fight for humanity. Items donated was 300 sanitizers; 400 surgical gloves, thermometers, 200 face masks, bags of rice and N1 million.

    Awareness on this virus and many others appears an uphill task. Laborious! In plain language, information on covid-19 pandemic is still not sufficient for those living in the hinterlands as most of these places aren’t accessible and as such, most of them know little or nothing about the virus. It’s sequel to the aforesaid that the Ben Akak Foundation has embarked on rigorous sensitization campaign in conjunction with the 18 paramount rulers in the state and the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) to bring the awareness to the dwellers. The effects of covid-19 in such places would be fatal with ripple effects due to the communal lifestyle of poor hygiene practices. Therefore, the foundation deserves gift of flowers for its door-to-door campaign.
    No doubt they’re many foundations in the state. But the foundation under consideration stands out as the only one with far reaching tentacles across the three senatorial districts.
    To the administrative team of the foundation, humanity will remain grateful to you all even beyond the vicissitudes of this moment.
    To the founder, Engr. Ben Akak, your deeds shall always speak for you far better than anything in private and in public.

     

  • Three Years Is Enough To Create Impact And Reengineer Governance To Meet The Yearnings And Aspirations Of The People – Imbua

    Three Years Is Enough To Create Impact And Reengineer Governance To Meet The Yearnings And Aspirations Of The People – Imbua

    By Elijah Ugani – Calabar

    A seasoned academician, technocrat and administrator per excellent, Associate Prof. Dave Imbua of the department of History and International Studies, University of Calabar, Calabar, has stated that three years is enough time to create impact and reengineer governance to meet the yearnings and aspirations of the people.

    Imbua who took to his Facebook wall @Dave Mbua to express his opinion being the only avenue available for him to contribute to the development of the state in response to the emotions that led to Gov Ben Ayade sharing tears while he inaugurated the Anti-Tax Agency on Wednesday, May 20th, 2020 at the Exco Chambers of the Governor’s office, Calabar.

    “We now return from emotions to reason and truth. A man who channels the commonwealth of a people into a jamboree of ago massaging projects at the expense of amenities that address the pressing needs of the overwhelming masses will definitely cry at each point that conscience suppresses sycophancy.

    “Now that we are all on the same page as it concerns our gains and losses in the last five years, it is important to re-engineer governance to meet the yearnings and aspirations of the people.

    “Three years is enough time to create impact. But if the think tank and advisers insist that the path taken is not only the best but also irreversible, then three years is a very short time. I wish the current rehearsals for the post-2023 wailings can be nipped in the bud”

  • Ayade, The Cry Cry Baby In Peregrino House

    Ayade, The Cry Cry Baby In Peregrino House

    By Agba Jalingo – Lagos

    Yesterday, my governor, Senator Ben Ayade cried AGAIN while launching the anti-taxation agency in Calabar. The agency is meant to ensure low income earners do not pay taxes in Cross River state. His tears actually touched a soft chord in the minds of many people across the country and several of them have circulated the video back to me. One person who is not even in Cross River state said, their earlier scheduled meeting started with the video where governor Ayade was crying and most people in the meeting also started crying along with the governor whom they concluded is a lover of the poor and this is very impressive.

    But if tears were a true measure of our pain, even Hitler’s drops would be preserved in the alabaster bottle. That is the irony and the double edged nature of that readily available liquid. Once emotions are evoked, in no direction essentially, tears can start flowing and oftentimes, the person whose tears flow down the cheeks, doesn’t even know why they flow until composure is regained.

    So tears are not necessarily an expression of concern, rather, tears can fittingly be described as the defecation of pent up emotions which could also be spontaneous. Tears could also be a pontilitous attempt at hood winking the unsuspecting public into collective amnesia, particularly for politicians.

    The later is where I will categorize the incessant tears of our governor, Senator Ben Ayade and I will tell you why.

    Apart from the poorly substantiated tales of his crying for the poor before his coming into politics, yesterday was the fourth time governor Ayade will be crying in public. But guess what, each time he cried, nothing followed!

    Before you get hoodwinked by yesterday’s tears, let me take you down memory lane.

    17 January 2017, Governor Ayade announced the abolition of all forms of taxation for low-income earners in Cross River state. The Chief Press Secretary to the Governor and Senior Special Assistant Media, Mr. Christian Ita, in a press statement said those affected by the tax exemption are people earning below N50, 000 monthly, taxi, tricycle, wheel barrows, and motor cycle operators as well as petty traders and hoteliers.

    He said Governor Ben Ayade, who gave the order after signing the 2017 appropriation bill of N707 billion, had reiterated the need to provide some economic reliefs to low income earners in the state with regards to taxes.

    Ayade, after signing the budget had warned that: “I am sounding the last warning that henceforth I don’t want to hear anyone who earns less than N50, 000 a month being taxed in any form in the state….In the same vein, I don’t want to see a hotel that is struggling to survive with challenges of diesels being chased by government officials over taxes. I have warned anybody, who is still collecting money from these people to stop forthwith…I have seen poverty in my personal life and I know what that small N2, 000 means to them.

    “It is clear to emphasise here that at this point, no nation, no state and no administrative authority can tax her people to prosperity…God has given us an elevated platform of authority to use our intellects and support them and not to suppress them. Why would government put a burden on people earning less than a N1, 000 a day with wife and children, shopping in the same market with the rich, who earn over N300, 000 monthly? I would rather tax my intellect to prosperity than taxing my people because we have sufficient education, exposure and experience, which we need to bring to bear for the prosperity of our people, which is why they elected us.”

    That was in 2017. YES 2017!!!. Very characteristic of Ayade. He cried after that. Three years after, more than 70 percent of businesses operating in Calabar have left because of multiple taxation.

    Yesterday, he repeated almost the same words he spewed in 2017 verbatim and cried again and the gullible are already crying along with him.

    That is not all!

    In August 2016, Governor Ayade visited Bakassi and cried after seeing the conditions that some returnees lived in. He made an instant donation of N3million. He was accompanied by a representative of the Mayor of Dortmund, Fuss Friedrich whom he said will build free houses for the returnees. He had introduced the man who followed him as the Mayor but it turned out he was “lying.”

    Again in March 2017, during the courtesy visit of the National Commissioner of the National Commission for Migrants, Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons, Hajia Sadiya Farouk in the government house, Governor Ayade cried over the status of the Bakassi returnees. He wept and vowed to do everything he can to resettle the people of Bakassi and called on government not to neglect them. I don’t know whether the people of Bakassi have been resettled after that crying.

    April 10, 2018, Governor Ayade also broke down in tears at the conference room of the government house when he asked his aide on Religious Affairs, Rev. Fr. Bob Etta to pray while signing the NGN1.3 trillion budget of Kinetic Crystallization into law. He cried also because he said the budget was going to de-couple the State from federal allocation and lift the poor out of poverty.

    But shortly after that, CrossRiverWatch news editor, Jonathan Ugbal and three others were arrested for allegedly photographing two commissioners including the immediate past Attorney General of the State, that were sleeping during that exercise. Till date, even the hard copy of the budget is not available to the public not to talk of the promises inside.

    My ten kobo advise to my governor is that the poor can never be freed from poverty by exempting them from taking responsibility. Taxation is not a burden. It is a civic duty for the collective good of the society. Taxes should be reduced, rebates given and made convenient for even the poorest of the citizens to pay with intermittent holidays. Taxes should not be a burden but they should also not be taken away. They are our right and civic duty. Taxes are Biblical. Taxes are a way of ensuring that every citizen of age and ability takes responsibility for the collective upkeep of the society and also ensure government is accountable. Every government that wants to abolish taxes is tilting towards a lack of accountability.

    In a state where the total monthly IGR is less than N1billion and federal allocation is one of the lowest amidst crashing oil prices, abolition of taxes is not magnanimity. It is naivety. Don’t come here and tell me about those thrash called I-Money and G-Money and OPM.

    Finally, I agree wholely that crying is not a sign of weakness. We all cry. I cry too. Even our Lord Jesus cried. But what the governor needed to do yesterday was not another round of crying or a regurgitation of same things he has been saying since 2017 as if he was saying something new, he rather needs to ensure that his aides take him more seriously and respect his orders and commands and directives. If they had done that, poor people would have long had some respite from the tax masters over 3 years ago and our cry cry baby in Peregrino House would have rested his face towel, at least…

    Yours sincerely
    Citizen Agba Jalingo.

    #1103DaysToGo
    #CryCryGovernor
    #StopCryingDoTheWork
    #HoldLeadersAccountable

     

    NB. The Opinions Expressed Are Of Agba Jalingo In His Personal Capacity And Does Not Representing THE LUMINE NEWS.

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  • Remembering Okang Peter And Governor Ayade’s Endless Tears

    Remembering Okang Peter And Governor Ayade’s Endless Tears

    By Anthony Bisong Attah

    On the 23rd of March, 2020, I got a call from Okan Peter to speak on CRBC TV. I declined the invitation because it was on a national issue I didn’t consider too interesting. We both laughed when I assured him that I was going to be available to discuss on critical issues affecting the State. Hitherto, I have been his guest on Sparkling FM and we’ve met at different occasions at FAD FM, Calabar.

    The news of his demise on the 31st of March, 2020 rented the State media space for a long time. This was due largely because of his visibility as a rising media guru. I knew Okan first on the 16th of September, 2017 when he covered the launching of my party, the Young Progressives Party YPP in the State at the Transcorp Hotel, Calabar. He demonstrated unaccustomed passion and dedication to his job as he straddled the Pearl Ball hall with his camera to ensure every detail of the MISS YPP COMPETITION was properly captured.

    I’m not good at writing or even commenting on the dead because of the emotions it evokes especially to the family and their loved ones. However, each time I recall events before the demise of my friend, two things readily strikes my mind; one, he spent many years as a volunteer staff of CRBC and just when he was absorbed into the system as a full staff he became a victim of the 2500 Civil Servants who’s names were delisted from the State payroll since September last year. He was set to attend the screening interview that was postponed on the 24th of March before he died one week later. Secondly, he was still being owed by the State Government for the role he played during last year Carnival Festival themed ‘Humanity’.

    I was shock as I watched our Governor, His Excellency, Sir Benedict Ayade weeping profusely in the now viral video during the inauguration of the State Anti Tax Committee. For the avoidance of doubt, the terms of reference given to the committee chaired by Bishop Emmah Isong are not new to Cross Riverians at all. We are already used to the empty rhetorics and the theatrical distraction of weeping by the Governor. Maybe he would have been a better ‘undertaker’ than an Executive Governor, knowing that weeping alone without action has never solved any problem. A Governor that cannot weep for owing Civil Servants a whopping nine months salary arrears and 5 months unpaid stipends and Honorarium to those who toiled day and night including personal Financial commitment to see to the success of the State sponsored Carnival should not weep at all. A Governor that withholds over five years gratuity of retired Civil Servants in the State should not think that shedding ‘Iguana tears’ is a safety valve to negotiate public sympathy and gain citizen’s confidence.

    We are tired of seeing our Governor admit his failures openly with tears as smokescreen to cover for his negligence and incompetence. We prefer to see our Governor braze up to the challenge of governance by minimising cost and deploying lean state resources to areas that directly affect the citizens.

    Like my late friend, Okan Peter, several other Cross Riverians have died without being paid for several months and others have gone without enjoying their Honorarium after several months of labouring to make the 2019 Carnival a success story. A lot of retirees have died and others consigned to inhuman conditions after giving 35 years of meritorious Service to the State. These are the things that should make a good Governor to weep.

    My friend Okan is gone already but he left a family behind. I pray the Governor pays his Honorarium to his family and get a member of his family to replace him in his place of employment or elsewhere. That’s the best way to immortalize a young man who died on an empty stomach while serving the State.

    Comrade Anthony Bissong Attah
    State Chairman (Chief Servant)
    Young Progressives Party, YPP, CRS

     

     

    NB. Opinions Expressed Here Are Strictly That Of Anthony And Does Not Represent The Lumine News.

  • State Congresses Ignite Fresh Crisis In PDP

    State Congresses Ignite Fresh Crisis In PDP

    Jonh Alechenu of Punch Newspaper examines the recent Peoples Democratic Party ward and Local Government congresses held nationwide and posits that a lot of work is still required to return the party to winning ways.

    Since its defeat at the presidential election in 2015, the opposition Peoples Democratic Party has struggled to find its feet and return to winning ways.

    The battle for the control of party structure at the ward, Local Government and State levels among chieftains of the PDP, has resumed with a renewed intensity that has left some wondering if there is a general election by the corner.

    A public affairs commentator, who identified with the party in its formative years, Chief Cosmas Ekpunobi, explained the reason behind what appeared to be a renewed interest in the party’s congresses.

    He said, “For any politician worth his salt, the ward, Local Government and State congresses are not only important but also crucial. There is a reason why party members are expected to first register at the ward level. It is expected that a person who intends to seek to serve people using the party’s platform should be a person with a grass roots appeal. So, the importance of having a voice at these levels cannot be overemphasised.”

    The PDP National Working Committee had issued guidelines for the conduct of its congresses at all levels across States of the federation starting from March 7, 2020.

    Twenty three out of 26 States, including but not limited to Abia, the Federal Capital Territory, Akwa Ibom, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Nasarawa, Niger, Ondo, Ogun, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, Cross River, and Yobe, carried out the exercise.

    However, three States namely: Jigawa, Ogun, and Yobe had yet to hold their congresses when the coronavirus-induced lockdown led to the suspension of the exercises.

    As is often the case with congresses in multi-party democracies like Nigeria, divergent views have trailed the conduct of the exercise.

    While some hailed the process, others took issue with either the conduct or outcome of the process. In Ekiti State, for example, a former Governor, Ayodele Fayose, is locked in a battle of political wits with the Senator representing Ekiti South Senatorial District, Biodun Olujimi.

    Party stakeholders in the State have been embroiled in leadership crisis as far back as 2017 when Fayose was in office as Governor.

    He ensured that his preferred candidate, Prof. Kolapo Eleka, emerged as the party’s standard bearer in the 2018 governorship election which the party lost to the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Kayode Fayemi.

    A fresh battle for the control of the party structure presented itself with the conduct of ward congresses expected to usher in Executive Committee members for the 177 wards of the State.

    The Deputy Governor of Taraba State, Haruna Manu, was delegated by the PDP National Working Committee to lead a Committee to supervise the exercise.

    A party source who pleaded for anonymity in order not to jeopardise the efforts of the newly inaugurated Caretaker Committee said, “The congress was largely peaceful, it was supervised by the relevant bodies including the Independent National Electoral Commission and security forces. There were indications that candidates loyal to the combined forces of Senator Olujimi, Senator Duro Faseyi, and other party elders created upsets which loyalists of the former Governor found hard to accept. The two groups went ahead to inaugurate parallel Executive Committees which the party has refused to recognise and in its place appointed a Caretaker Committee.”

    Stating her position in the dispute, Olujimi blamed the latest round of crisis on the Deputy Governor of Taraba State, Manu.

    She told reporters in Abuja that the crisis in the State was far from over because the right things were not done.

    Olujimi said, “There is no calm within the Ekiti PDP. What we have is the lull before the war. We are already in the battle mode.”

    A former spokesperson for Fayose, Mr. Lere Olayinka, in an interview with Sunday Punch, described what is happening as a battle for the control of the party.

    He said, “It is a battle for control. Olujimi wants to control the party, which is what she is doing. The truth is that a more knowledgeable person, grounded and loved by the people has taken control of the party.”

    Even though the party has appointed a seven-member Caretaker Committee headed by a former Senate Deputy Chief Whip, Hosea Agboola, to oversee the party affairs in the interim, Olujimi and her supporters have gone to Court to seek judicial intervention.

    A slightly different scenario played out in Ogun State as a party Executive Committee loyal to a PDP chieftain, Senator Buruji Kashamu, was inaugurated to hold the forth as the State party leadership for the next four years.

    This situation drew the ire of the PDP NWC.

    The National Chairman of the party, Uche Secondus and the party’s National Secretary, Senator Umaru Ibrahim Tsauri, in a joint statement barely 24 hours after the Abeokuta inauguration, dissociated the party from the exercise describing it as “illegal, null and void.”

    The statement partly read, “The attention of the National Working Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party has been drawn to some media publication, especially, the online media concerning a purported inauguration of certain unknown persons as State officers of the party in Ogun State on Friday, May 8, 2020.

    “We want to advise members of the public, especially the teeming members of our great party in Nigeria and Ogun State in particular, that the Peoples Democratic Party has not conducted any congress for the election of the party officers at any level of the party: ward, LGs chapter and or State, in Ogun State.”

    In response, the “newly inaugurated” State Party Chairman, Samson Bamgbose, said the inauguration was legal because it was in line with all the relevant laws of the land as well as the party guidelines.

    Bambgose, who noted that the position of the NWC with regards to the inauguration was not unexpected, in a statement, said, “It is disturbing that our leaders in this great party still do not understand (or just don’t care) that all politics is local.”

    While responding to some of these issues, the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr. Kola Ologbodiyan, said, “The position of the party with regards to the issue in Ogun State is clear. The matter is in Court and as a law-abiding party, we will await a judicial pronouncement before taking the next step.

    “Our congresses which were held across 26 States of this country were largely peaceful and you can see from the outcome, the party is being repositioned to liberate Nigeria and Nigerians from the shackles of this rudderless regime of professional propagandists called the All Progressives Congress.”

    He further explained that the fact that there were disputes in three or four out of the 26 States where congresses were conducted did not take away the fact that the exercise went on smoothly.

    But a political affairs analyst, Emmanuel Acheme, recalled that the PDP was founded in August 1998 by members of several groups and political associations, some of which included the G-18 and G-34 that held sway as the party to beat for 16 unbroken years.

    He said the party enjoyed a broad political base attracting old and new breed politicians, retired/retiring high-ranking military officers, and academics with an interest in political office as well as businessmen who wanted a piece of the action.

    Acheme further explained that the founding fathers of the PDP most of who have either died or have left the party, were initially driven by a common goal of getting rid of the military and building a nation based on constitutional democratic ideals but that somewhere along the line, “greed and the disrespect for laid down rules took over.”

    He said, “Like it or leave it, yes, the PDP brand has suffered a lot of bashing over the years but you honestly cannot write it off yet in the light of recent events.”

    Speaking in a similar vein, a Kano-based political activist, Aminu Abubakar said, “This is to be expected because it is clear to everyone with eyes that the current All Progressives Congress regime has failed and we are confident that a window of opportunity will soon present itself for us to participate in the process to replace it, three years is not too long in the life of a nation.”

    However, the Chairman of the Buhari Media Organisation, Niyi Akinsiju, disagreed.

    He said, “The PDP brand is damaged beyond repairs. If you remember, they toyed with the idea of changing their name and rebranding but Nigerians are wiser today than they were 16 years ago when they allowed the PDP to run this country down. This administration is rebuilding our economy and our infrastructure from the scratch and all Nigerians of goodwill recognise and appreciate this.”

    Political pundits express the hope that as the PDP attempts to rebuild its brand, it will carry along lessons learnt from previous experiences.

  • Save Our Society Today While Contending Covid 19

    Save Our Society Today While Contending Covid 19

    By Ediomo Isung-Harmony

    Since the COVID-19 outbreak, humanity has been threatened to its core. The world is on pause and the global economy has nosedived.

    The Government at various levels have been putting in various measures to contend the invisible enemy. Health workers, Corporate bodies, Religious organizations, Security personnel, Individuals etc are not left out.

    One of the measures adopted by the Government was the total lockdown which was declared across the States.

    The pandemic which took everyone by surprise was followed by the declaration of total lockdown without adequate measures put in place to tackle its effects on the indigent.

    The lockdown has brought so much hunger and hardship to people mostly in the informal sector of the economy.
    These people include the petty traders, street vendors, loaders, e.t.c.

    Most of our young men and women who make their livelihood through daily struggle have become stranded and cannot plan for their survival.
    Even the palliatives given by the Government and those donated by Individuals still end up in the hands of the well to do, the politicians and their cronies.

    Would you blame the daily income earners obeying the devil’s call as the only means to survive?
    An idle man they say is the devil’s workshop and more or less now that survival is involved, everyone wants to live and deserve to live.

    Some of these persons have already turned to street robbers, house breakers, scammers etc as a means to survive, therefore increasing the rate of crime and making our society unsafe.

    Most of our communities which never experience criminal activities are now experiencing them.
    Some of our ladies including married women have also yielded to the satanic call by seeing sex as a lucrative source of surviving during this lockdown.

    Although COVID-19 is an invisible enemy which we must defeat, we should also know that putting all efforts in fighting this enemy will only make us the losers in the battle if our society is unsafe.

    More action plans to feed the common Nigerian most especially in the rural areas should be put in place with a very high level of transparency.

    If you were eating three times daily, there’s nothing wrong if you eat twice and save the other for your neighbor who has no food.

    By doing this, our society will be saved and the battle against COVID-19 would be won.

    Let’s save humanity.
    Let’s save Nigeria
    Let’s save our States
    Let’s save our society.
    Together we will defeat COVID-19.
    Cheers to Victory.

     

  • Right Candidate, Not Anyone Can Win C’River Northern Senatorial Bye-Election For APC

    Right Candidate, Not Anyone Can Win C’River Northern Senatorial Bye-Election For APC

    By Z-Effect Media

    The opposition All Progressives Congress, APC in Cross River State have had plenty opportunities to win many election in the State but has failed because of the ever recurring mistake of fielding the wrong candidates believing that anybody will win them the election.

    The first golden opportunity APC had was in 2016 during the Yakur 11 rerun election. Yakur11 is the state constituency of the former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Dr. Usani Uguru and former Governor, Chief Clement Ebri.

    Chief Ebri and Usani are two heavyweights that winning a state constituency election shouldn’t have been a problem. Ebri is a household name in Cross River politics that’s highly respected across party lines while Usani on the other hand, a then serving Minister is a fierce Politician who many believe have mastered the tricks of winning election.

    With all these credentials, the juggernauts failed to deliver the constituency to APC due largely to the choice of candidate in that election. The candidate divided opinion among loyalists of the former Minister and his former Boss, Chief Ebri. This division affected the commitment of party faithfuls who didn’t actually worked for the party or anybody at all.

    There have been series of other examples where the ground was very soft as it is today for the APC to win the northern senatorial district election but because of the strange politics of “anybody APC presents will win the election”, a party that boast of many of the who is who in Cross River State have been limited to just one win.

    The success of the party in the only win; ,Yakur/Abi federal constituency won by Chief Alex Egbonna should ordinarily serve as a guide going forward but some members are still trying to play the old style of thinking that even if an inanimate object is presented against anybody by the PDP, APC will win.

    The crisis brewing in PDP today is also giving the APC ‘anybody’ politicians the hope that whether the right candidate is fielded or not, the party will coast home to victory.

    This is not true. Only the right candidate will win APC the northern senatorial district election not anybody.

    Even if the PDP continue as a divided party into the election, if APC fails to field the right candidate, they’ll not get the right results.

    It will even be dangerous for any party at all not just APC to rely on the crisis brewing in PDP to decide who fly the party’s flag. PDP has mastered the act of reconciliation. In 204/2015, it was like PDP will explode in the state but few days to election, they closed rank and delivered the party 100%.

    Even before the 2019 general election, many had predicted that, from the national to states, the party was going into extinction but this wasn’t the case as it returned even stronger to challenge APC for the top seat in the country.

    APC especially in the state is still learning the mastery of reconciliation. This is why the party has remained divided for more than three years. No doubt, there’re encouraging signs that the party is walking stoutly towards returning as one, but it has taken just too long for the leaders of the party to realise that the time for ego fight is over, now the party needs to be winning election.

    Who then is a right candidate?

    The right candidate for the next northern senatorial district bye-election should be someone in the mold of Chief Alex Egbonna. A proven performer, a grassroot mobilizer, someone whose impact is still fresh and still being felt by the people, someone with network, popularity and acceptability across party lines and above all, a candidate with the resources for the election.

    Going by these credentials, only one aspirant in APC fits perfectly and that’s, Prof. Zana Akpagu.

    Prof. Akpagu, the incumbent Vice Chancellor of the University of Calabar is the only person going into the election that his name ring bell across every local government in the north, the state and beyond. He has touched more lives than any other in person in the last four and half years from the zone. His popularity and acceptability is across all divides. He is a thorough breed grassroot mobilizer and above the par performer.

    What he has done in the past few years place him way ahead of everybody who has indicated interest in all the political parties not just the APC. In terms of job creation and community development, nobody has done it better than him. Many families who hitherto were struggling to put food on their tables are today feeding other families courtesy of him.

    Despite the fact that the PDP is engrossed in a bitter fisticuff, the northern senatorial district is where the Governor comes from and nobody can undermine the power of the Governor. Therefore, if APC has serious interest in winning the election then it must put forth it best and see winning election to be more important than frivolities expressed by some who may not be truly interested in seeing the party win.

    APC can’t afford to repeat the politics of anybody can win election and expect anything other than a resounding defeat. Nobody except Alex Egbonna would have been able to win the Abi/Yakur federal constituency for APC and as it stance today, nobody other than Prof. Akpagu may be able to win APC the Senate election.

    With Egbonna success, the choice of Akpagu should be an easy and unanimous one but only time shall tell whether the party is truly interested in winning election.

    ®Z-Effect Media

     

    Disclaimer

    This is solely the views and opinion of Z-Effect Media and does not represent THELUMINENEWS.

  • David Abua: Vice Chancellor With The Midas Touch

    David Abua: Vice Chancellor With The Midas Touch

    By Com. Ogar Emmanuel Oko

    In ancient Greek mythology and classical literature, a legend is told of a king who lived and ruled Phrygia in Asia Minor about 8th (some scholars have argued in support of 2rd century) century before the birth of Christ by the name — Midas.

    Satyr aka Silenus was a companion of Dionysus, an Olympian god of winemaking, ritual madness, grape-harvest, theatre, fertility and wild frenzy was drunk and found himself on the warmth arms of Phrygian peasants who brought him to Midas. Midas took care of him for ten days and on the eleventh day, he returned him to Dionysus. For the act of hospitality and generosity shown to Silenus, Dionysus granted Midas’ modest request which was whatever he might touch should be changed into gold and his chalices, furniture and daughter, Marigold (Zoe) became gold.

    Nowadays, to have the Midas touch means to have the ability to be successful in doing whatsoever one does. In recent years in the annals of the prestigious Cross River University of Technology (CRUTECH), one of the many overseers who had superintended over the affairs of that famous institution with somewhat like a Midas touch is certainly the incumbent Acting Vice Chancellor, Prof. David Abua Ogar.

    Well, it isn’t the crux of this piece at this juncture to weary my readers with copious citation of Professor David. However, for the sake of the knowledge of the unsuspected population of my readers whom have not had the privilege of knowing Prof. David, that I feel obliged to reveal in brevity his personality in few lines.

    Prof. Ogar, David Abua is a professor of Forest Economics and Management. He hails from Adiehe, Bekwarra Local Government Area in Cross River State. He got his PhD in Forest Economics and Management in 2001 from the University of Ibadan. The Acting Vice Chancellor began his scholarly career as a college lecturer in the Cross River State College of Agriculture, Obubra in 1995 and 1996, he was employed as an Assistant Lecturer in the University of Calabar where he rose through diligent and courageous efforts to the coveted professorial rank in 2015.

    He has been a Visiting and Adjunct Lecturer to the Department of Forestry and Wildlife, University of Uyo, Akwa Ibom State from 2008 – 2012. Prior to his appointment as Acting Vice Chancellor of Cross River University of Technology in November 2019, Prof. David was Sub-Dean, Faculty of Agriculture, Forestry and Wildlife Resources Management in the University of Calabar from 2004 – 2006 and Acting Head of Department, Department of Forestry and Wildlife Resources Management, University of Calabar from 2006 – 2008. He was Head of Department of Forestry and Wildlife for about 3 months from September 2019 to November 2019 before His Excellency, Prof. Ben Ayade, the governor of Cross River State appointed him as Acting VC of CRUTECH.

    He belongs to some reputed professional bodies such as Forestry Association of Nigeria (FAN); Nigerian Environmental Study Action Team (NESAT), Nigerian Rural Participatory Appraisal Network ( NIPRNET), Rainforest Alliance (worldwide), Forest, Trees and People (worldwide), The Fulbright Association of Nigeria (worldwide) and The European Centre for Research, Training and Development, United Kingdom.

    That being said, for the past 5 months that Prof. David took over the reins of leadership in CRUTECH, he has rendered efficient, conscientious and obtrusive but invaluable services to this great institution in tandem with the advantageous policy of His Excellency, Prof. Ben Ayade in revamping the educational sector in the state.

    It’s a trite — perhaps, a commonplace to avow that there’s absolutely no perfect system. Every system has its peculiar bottlenecks that militate against development, innovations and stunt growth. Albeit, men have always risen to take up the gauntlet and CRUTECH isn’t an exception. The institution has its challenges and they’re people conjoining forces with Prof. David to take up the gauntlet and cut the Gordian Knot. The team of seasoned administrators in that citadel of learning are solving difficult problems by adopting bold and drastic measures.

    Before now, the security and surveillance networks were quite porous and appalling. Cultism was canonized. Goons, gangsters and racketeers had colony on campus where they carried out antisocial activities. Obviously, the campus was gradually sliding on the precipice of Hobbesian anarchy where life is short, hellish, brutish and nasty for members of the University community until the collaborated efforts of the school’s management and that of the state’s coercive instrumentalities restored peace, normalcy and order to the system.

    Being a former Examination Officer in the Department of Forestry and Wildlife Resources Management in Unical; External Examiner for undergraduate and postgraduate oral examination to the Department of Social and Environmental Forestry, University of Agriculture, Markudi, Benue State and member of Examination Malpractice Committee, Faculty of Agriculture, Forestry and Wildlife Resources Management, Prof. David has been able to bring to the table the experience garnered to solving the related problems of examination malpractice in CRUTECH to a reasonable extent.

    Today, the laboratories and workshops in all the campuses are being equipped. The school’s lands are being surveyed, landscaped and walled. Staff and students’ welfare is given high premium. Grants for research are released on time. Human capital development of staff is encouraged. Measures are put in place to increase the internally generated revenues to relieve the institution of total reliance on government for funding. The institution is focusing on improving the poultry and fishery ventures in this regard.

    Hand sanitizers produced from the school are now being used by the public in preventing covid-19 pandemic. Portable (drinkable) water in plastic bottles and sachets packaged from the school are being consumed by members of the public. Renovation of dilapidated structures is ongoing. Lecture venues for students are now made conducive to enhance teaching and learning.

    The facts aren’t in contention that the standards set by Prof. David’s predecessors aren’t only been maintained but obtrusively taken to a new, lofty and golden height for the admiration of all and sundry. Taking a cursory look at the transformations and improvements in the institution, one would gladly agree that Prof. Ogar, David Abua like Hercules has cleansed the CRUTECH (Augean) stables perfectly well. How? Check the itemized achievements below.

    The Acting Vice Chancellor upon assumption of office accomplished some uncommon task within and outside of the University community:
    1. Meeting with Various Stakeholders in the University: The Ag. VC in order to have an understanding of the University community, engaged all the stakeholders in the University individually and as groups to enable him plan for the development of the institution.

    2. Bill to CRHA: For the change of University name, a bill was taken by the Ag. VC to the CRHA to change the University name in line with NUC requirement. The bill has been passed by the House and awaits accent by His Excellency.

    3. Campus Tour: The Ag. VC, upon assumption of office embarked on a tour of the Main Campus and the other 3 Campuses to assess facilities on ground and identify challenges.

    4. Functional Medical Centers: The Medical Center at the Calabar Campus has been made fully functional, which was almost moribund as at the time of assumption of office. In keeping to his 5-point agenda, welfare of students and staff, he repaired the X-ray and Dental machines, installed a generator and repaired a borehole to supply water to the Center. Medical examination for the students and staff are now carried out in the Medical Center, hence generating money to the school, same project is on-going at the Ogoja campus. As part of staff welfare, upon assumption of office, the Ag. VC facilitated the regular and timely payment of salaries. This has been maintained since assumption of office.

    5. Repair of the Main Water supply equipment at Main Campus: As a matter of urgency, the VC has embarked on the repair of water system at the Calabar Campus to supply water to the University community, including staff quarters, hostels and offices. Water being a basic need is taken as a priority to the VC.

    6. CRUTECH Fountain Water: The University has successfully started the Production of table-water; producing sachet water, bottle water of 50cl and 70cl. With the successful installation of water equipment, the University awaits NAFDAC registration to start marketing of the products. This will serve as one of the IGR sources in the institution.

    7. Security: To address the security challenges on campus, trained security personnel have been recruited and equipped across the 4-campuses to face the security challenges on campus.

    8. Staff School (Nursery and Primary): The staff school, which have been operating without approval from the Ministry of Quality Education, have been fully certified to operate the nursery and primary schools and application for the secondary school have been made to the Ministry of Quality Education. By the Grace of God, the Secondary arm will commence study next academic session.

    9. Renovation of the Staff Club: “All work, without play makes Jack a Dull Boy Money have been approved for the renovation of the staff club. Theres need for a staff club for relaxation of staff on Campus.

    10. Graduate Assistantship (GAs) Placement: Before now, Graduate Assistants were not considered as staff and were placed on stipend; Council has approved the appropriate placement of GAs in line with the practice in other University.

    11. Staff Verification: Approval for staff verification/auditing has been given by the Government Council of the University and the exercise is on-going. The report will help management in planning.

    12. Examination Malpractice: The management has put measures in place to curb examination malpractice, extortion, corruption and sorting. So far, reaching measures have been taken, including not limited to customization of examination answer booklets.

    13. Verification of Receipts: In order to address the cutting of corners by students in fee payment, the Vice Chancellor has created a Desk Officer directly under his office to verify and screen receipts of students requesting for their certificates and transcripts, to ensure that they pay fees to the university accounts. This has yielded much result.

    14. Directorate of Research and Development: The Directorate of Research and Development has been created and fund attracted from TETFund. The directorate has also benefited from a conference sponsorship to Dubai from TETFund. The fund will be used to furnish and purchase utility Vehicle for the Center.

    15. TETFund: The Vice Chancellor upon assumption of office, has facilitated the release of fund to the University after initial delayed. This effort has yielded result as the University has within March 2020, secured TETFund Zonal Intervention for Infrastructure Development and Research and Development. Also, the school have nominated 3 academic staff to attend conference in USA and UK to be sponsored by TETFund.

    i. Secured the approval for the merger of the pending 2017, 2018 and 2019 TETFund outstanding balance for some projects. This was a major breakthrough to uplift the university infrastructure.

    16. Joint University Preliminary Education Board – JUPEB: The VC upon assumption of office, signed an MOU with JUPEB and has since commenced the operation of JUPEB in the University. This programme has generated some revenue to the University.

    17. Visit to the Paramount Rulers and Clan Heads of our Host Communities: Two weeks after assumption of office by the Ag. VC, he embarked on visitation to all the Paramount Rulers, Clan and Village Heads of our host communities across the 4 campuses of the University. The visits is yielding results, for instance, Ogoja campus has almost been completely fenced.

    18. Sport: The CRUTECH Sport Unit through the Kyrat Club were sponsored for a competition and came as runner up in the 2019 National Competition held in the University of Benin, Edo State. They won many gold, silver and bronze.

    19. Accreditation: Faculty of Engineering, Architecture and Department of Accountancy participated in professional accreditation in exercise and we are expecting positive result. The University is also planning towards the accreditation of about 25 programmes in 2020 across the 4 Campuses in the University.

    20. Issuance of PG Certificates: The school have issued PG certificates which have been pending since the inception of the University. In addition, the university has provided certificate folders for safe keeping of the certificates and in turn generate revenue for the University.

    21. Orientation of Fresh Students: The Ag. VC revitalized Students Orientation and timely preparation of lecture time-table and teaching commencing as scheduled in the academic calendar for 2019/2020.

    THE VC’s INNOVATIONS TOWARDS INTERNAL REVENUE GENERATION

    WATER PRODUCTION: – The VC as a matter of priority initiated, through CRUTECH Consult, the production of 50cl, 70cl bottle and sachet water with the installation of latest equipment. This is expected to be a money spinning venture for the University, hence improving the IGR to reduce being over dependent on government to meet critical needs.

    THE MEDICAL CENTER:- The University Medical Center now provides basic medical services, since the installation of dedicated generator and borehole equipment. At the moment, all medical services are provided there. Medical examination for students and staff are being conducted there improving significantly the university IGR.

    PG STUDENTS CERTIFICATE FOLDER:- From the innovation, the University is making some money from the folders, thereby improving the IGR.

    FEE PAYMENT: – With the reintroduction of orientation of freshers and senate policy on fee payment, fee payment is very encouraging.

    JUPEB: – From the operation of JUPEB, the institution is generating some money internally.

    PROPOSED INTERNAL REVENUE GENERATION
    Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry:
    Direct production of food and forest products such as: Rice, Cassava, Maize, Yam, Livestock (Poultry, Fish, Pigs, Goat, Sheep, and Cattle), Oil Palm, Citrus, Teak, Gmelina, etc will be encouraged.

    CBN LOAN/GRANT: The University is Soliciting for Loan/Grant from CBN to go into agricultural production of Poultry, Rice and Fish.

    FUTURE PLANS
    Establishment of Renewable Energy Center/Directorate in the University in line with the State Government policy on renewable energy.
    Introduction of Short term-courses in Safety, Oil and Gas, Environment, Agric.
    Establishment of Wood Skill Acquisition Center for production of furniture for the University and possible commercialization.

    The governor richly deserves accolades for finding Prof. David worthy to oversee the state owned University as Acting Vice Chancellor. Therefore, it’s only wise to encourage Prof. David to continue with his Midas touch in changing CRUTECH to Gold. Bravo Prof.!

    Comr.(Hon) Ogar Emmanuel Oko
    07056270286 or [email protected]

     

    Disclaimer

    This article is solely the opinion of the writer, Comr. Ogar Emmanuel Oko and does not in any represent the Theluminenews.

  • C’River PDP Crisis: Eko Atu Calls On Ayade To Unite The Party

    C’River PDP Crisis: Eko Atu Calls On Ayade To Unite The Party

    Excepts From Eko Atu’s Facebook Wall

    Let calm prevail.

    I have watched with interest the unfolding events in the politics of Cross River State in the last couple of months.

    First was the intense fighting within the APC as to who the real chairman of the party in the state was. This dragged on well into the last general elections leading to the two factions holding separate congresses and submitting different names of candidates for the elections.

    The matter dragged on and unfortunately one of the claimant to the position of chairman, Dr. Matthew Achigbe died in a ghastly motor accident. May his soul rest in peace.

    The courts I learnt recently delivered judgement in favour of John Ochalla who belonged to the Achigbe faction as the authentic state chairman with a fine imposed against the Etim John faction.

    This needless attrition caused the party a vital opportunity of making inroads into Cross River State, except in the Abi/Yakurr federal constituency where Alex Egbona won.

    One would have expected that the APC being the government at the centre and had all the federal appointments and might would have made a good showing. But it was never to be. One lesson is that all politics is local and the APC brand was alien to the people.

    The infighting within the party made the electorates confused as to who exactly they were going to vote for.

    The PDP on the other hand being the government in power at the state level had it’s own fair share of the problems.

    Through stick and carrot approach, the party was able to silence the rebellion within it and went into the elections. However, it suffered a devastating blow in the Abi/Yakurr federal constituency where everybody acknowledged as it’s stronghold given the person of HE Liyel Imoke.

    That lose was a signal that all wasn’t well within the party at the local and state level.

    It was a warning sign that the once cohesive party was showing signs of disintegration.

    Then came the last “congresses” for the selection of candidates for councillorship and chairmanship positions.

    Critical stakeholders and party members were completely left in the dark while names were being compiled for councillorship and chairmanship positions.

    It was who was closet to power that got nominated. In some wards and local governments rotation was jettison.

    Today some aggrieved members of the party are in court challenging the outcomes of that excercises. The courts are yet to decide and from the look of things, the local government elections might be imperilled.

    The dust from the selection process for the local government elections had hardly died down when the wards and local government congresses for the party’s position came up.

    Same strategy of impunity of lack of consultations again reared its head, but while the local government elections selection process was hurtful to some “lesser” men and women; the control of the party structures at ward, LGA and State level wasn’t going to be taken for granted; because the gladiators here were the la crème de la crème of the party.

    And their fears were justified. If they weren’t consulted during the “selection” processes for the local government elections and up to the congresses for ward, LGA elections; what will be their fate going forward in their political career.

    So while names were being compiled for the various offices across the state, other critical stakeholders took the excecise to the party at the grassroots allowing them their choice as to who becomes what.

    The NWC released the list of those congresses across the country including that of CRS after a critical evaluation of the reports of the various committees set up for the wards and local governments chapters.

    That list has rattled some key section of the party leading to forging a new list different from the original list addressed to the critical persons of the party hierarchy.

    The Excos of the wards and LG had already being inuagurated. The party had further disclaimed the “new” declaring it as forged as can be verified from the official PDP Twitter handle and website.

    It is sad that a party that was once cohesive and strong is showing signs of weakeness because of lack of inclusiveness and impunity.

    H E is the leader of the party in the state. That nobody is contesting. DD and Liyel Imoke were all leaders of the party as governors. That’s the tradition of the party.

    But as leader of the party, HE Ben Ayade should know better how things are done within the PDP family. He has been a Senator under the PDP and knows how decisions were taken including some that he was a beneficiary.

    Decisions within the PDP family are taken after much consultations and horse trading.

    Such decisions in some cases don’t go down well with a few persons or interest groups, but people are allowed to make their inputs. So even if the few do not agree, which is usual; such few are assured of their protection and reward.

    But a situation where past leaders and critical stakeholders of the party including sitting members of the state and national assemblies are shut out of the decision making process, bad blood is bound to develop.

    Attempts to retire and make non relevant members of the party who have toiled, held positions and built followership will create anger and rebellion.

    This is the time for our Leader HE Senator Ben Ayade to call his children together. Find out from them those things they disapprove of and how they would wish the party to be run or refocused.

    Certainly nobody will dictate to HE how to run his government, but government is not party. When it gets to party affairs, consultations of critical stakeholders and members is key to having a cohesive strong and healthy organisation.

    When a deliberate effort is made to shut out old hands within the party in an effort to create a new “structure” you run the risk of not having people who know the history of the evolution of the party and how things are done.

    Check the headship of the PDP right from the late revered Rev. Ikobi and tell me if the quality of leadership we have today can remember how PDP berthed in the state.

    So when people are “selected” without regard to their knowledge of the organisation they are meant to run, the tendency is rather than build on the successes of that organisation; they destroy it.

    The ball is in HE’s court to unite the party, how he will do that is what I don’t know; because when you descend into the arena you become muddied and can’t see clearly.

    Some including the outgoing Exco will agree with me that the party has been comatose since they took over.

    We need to re-energise this party. It is more in HE’s interest as the Leader because any misstep will have a collateral damage on all of us, but more on the LEADER.

     

     

    Note: The views expressed here are that of Eko Atu and does not represent THELUMINENEWS.

  • I Thought About Mercy Nku When I Heard Two Ayade Appointees Fought In Public

    I Thought About Mercy Nku When I Heard Two Ayade Appointees Fought In Public

    By Agba Jalingo – Lagos

    Since I heard about the koboko flogging, slapping and tearing of shirt incident between the Cross River state Commissioner for Sports and Cinematography, Chief Ofu Aya and the Chairman of the state Sports Commission, Emmanuel Elom, over office space, I have not been laughing over the matter.

    I was first reminded of the same frosty relationship between the immediate past holders of those same offices, Commissioner Asu Okang, who is now Information Commissioner and Hon. Orok Duke who is now the Special Adviser, Callywood. It is sheer dereliction for Governor Ayade to allow the infighting that bedeviled the Ministry and the Commission in his first term and stymied the growth of sports in the State to continue in his second term.

    I don’t want to go into how much our State lost because that is a whole new discussion. But I have been researching wide to ascertain what these two adults fighting in public over office space, have done in sports 1or are capable of offering Cross River sports development. Arguably, the results returning show clearly that they both are not only recycled in government, they also do not have any track record beffiting of the robes they are now adorned in. But in Ayade’s government, appointees don’t need to fit into anything other than the whims and caprices of those who generate the names of the “food-on-the-table” appointees. That’s all you need. Just lack food on your table and you will land an appointment on your lab.

    In my deep thought, I also wished we had a more serious governor who is interested in poaching people who genuinely have the capacity to contribute to developing our state.

    Cross River has consistently produced some of Nigeria’s best athletes both at the national and international stage until governor Ayade showed up. The State prided itself in competitive LG sports developmental programs that produced national stars but all that is just in the letters now as you are reading.

    For instance, Boki LGA born former Olympian and two time All African Games Gold Medalist, Mercy Nku was a product of those LGA competitions. Like several other Cross River athletes who emerged from those sporting events, Mercy Nku hit the tracks early, running in several junior competitions for the schools she attended in Cross River, and in many other competitions staged by the then Cross River Sports Council for young athletes in the local council areas of the state.

    Nku while recalling those days, had told journalists in an interview during her running days that “teachers in those days had a great influence on pupils. I started running early but not because I preferred to do so. During the inter-house sports competitions, 90 per cent of the events were on the tracks and because our teachers wanted us all to participate, most of us ended up picking a career in athletics. I was doing well and grew up to be discovered by national coaches during one of the competitions ORGANIZED BY THE STATE. In Cross River State, we had local government competitions that prepared us for the limelight.”

    In 1999, she made her big burst onto the scene, winning two gold medals for Nigeria in the All Africa Games in Johannesburg, South Africa in 1999 and also set the games records of 11.03 seconds in the 100meters race. It was an achievement that Nigeria celebrated as athletics fans got a relief that a replacement for the then ageing stars was fast evolving.

    But as fate will have it, Mercy added that:

    “My regret is that I was forced to retire too early from the track. I didn’t run to the level I had wanted because there was so much distraction. There was no support and I don’t mean financial aid. At a point I was just there floating without anyone to call for support or encouragement. There were so many enemies around me and whatever I did, they turned it against me. I was left alone, hated and unwanted. They saw me as a controversial person because I was always saying the truth about Nigerian athletics. Nobody wanted to listen to me. So I was forced to leave. But now, I feel happy and satisfied that I did my best as far as I could.”

    That support eventually came from Governor Imoke who later gave her a scholarship to study in Canada. I thought about her when I heard that those two adults where fighting in public along with their thugs and gangsters. I thought about Mercy and several other heroes who have won so many things for Cross River, particularly in the tracks and fields and rings. When I heard that these supposedly honorable men turned to urchins and decimated their dignity in public, I wished people like Mercy will have been given the chance to replicate that system that brought her up and give other children in Buanchor, Ukorshie, Effraya, Okoyong, the opportunity to burst into the national scene again. I even thought that those who behave like motor park touts will be shown the way to the garage where they belong, then I remembered it is Ayade’s government where no appointee ever gets punished for misbehaving. Yes, I thought about all that and even more!

    Thank you.

    *Yours sincerely,*
    *Citizen Agba Jalingo*

    #1125DaysToGo
    #HoldLeadersAccountable
    #CrossRiverHasTalent