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  • C’River Water Board Staff Protests Reinstatement Of MD, Barricades Premises

    C’River Water Board Staff Protests Reinstatement Of MD, Barricades Premises

    Culled From Vanguard  by Uche Ikechukwu, Calabar 

    There was mild drama on Monday in Calabar following the protest by Staff of Cross River Water Board Limited, CRSWBL, as they barricaded the entrance of their premises to protest the reinstatement of the Managing Director, Mr Victor Ekpo.

    The protesters carried various placards with inscriptions like ” Ekpo’s reinstatement would further worsen the “near comatose” water board, “Ekpo’s return would be a Disaster” “The former MD’s style is inhumane ” ” He will kill us all this time “

    Others include: “Don’t bring back Ekpo”, “Cross River Water board is dead completely”, “Cross River Water board staff cries for help” and Ekpo doesn’t have what it takes to manage water board amongst others.

    The workers told Vanguard that Mr. Ekpo first stint as the Managing Director, did not only plunge the company into debt of over 800 million but also failed to provide portable drinking water to the people.

    The workers who also alleged that Ekpo high-handedness was unacceptable added that he (Ekpo) lacked the managerial skills to manage the Corporation.

    Speaking with Com. Okoi Inyang, State Chairman, Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, who spoke on behalf of the protesting workers, disclosed that the debt profile of the utility company currently stood at over N800 million.

    His words : “We are over 600 staff across the nine water stations across the State and we are here saying, we don’t want Ekpo as our Managing Director again.

    “What had been his impact to water board? Since March 2021, our intake pump broke down and have not been replaced since; as such, we have not provide clean and potable water to the people since then.

    “Rather than fixed the problem, he (Ekpo) went to sink boreholes in two of our stations just to provide skeletal services to the people.

    “As we speak, these boreholes have also broken down. This is the same situation in the nine other stations.

    “The board is owing contractors who supply chemical and other inputs over N800 million while staff are also been owed entitlements running into millions of Naira, yet, he collects monthly impress of N4 million,” he said.

    Inyang further explained that they were not against the government appointing a Managing Director, but it should not be Ekpo.

    “We want a technocrat who can turn around the fortune of the board and not Ekpo who knows nothing about managing a corporation like this,” Inyang said.

    When contacted, the reinstated Managing Director, Cross River state water Board Limited, Victor Ekpo attributed the resistance of the workers to his appointment to his stance against corruption in the board.

    He maintained that through his managerial ability and prudent management of scare resources, he raised the revenue profile of the board from N600, 000 to N9.6 million monthly.

    “Our wage bill was about 40million and we were generating barely 600, 000 naira when I came as Managing Director , but I raised that to about 9.6 million monthly, this I achieved within 8 months and i have also been able to fight, headon, the corruption level at the board.

    “This is what they are against; they want things to continue in the old order and I am determined to fight this and resuscitate the board to the level of delivery water to the people of Cross River,” he said.

    Vanguard learned that Ekpo had earlier resigned his position as Managing of the Water Company to contest the All Progressives Congress (APC) ticket for Cross River Southern senatorial district and his reinstatement has been approved by Gov Ben Ayade.

  • C’River Govt Commends World Bank APPEALS Project, Says The Intervention Is A life Changing Scheme

    C’River Govt Commends World Bank APPEALS Project, Says The Intervention Is A life Changing Scheme

     

    Cross River State Government says its agriculture-driven growth, poverty reduction, and food security has greatly improved through the State Agro-Processing, Productivity Enhancement and Livelihood Improvement Support (CR-APPEALS) Project.

    The project which is a World Bank-assisted agro-based value chains interventions in Cross River has changed lives and livelihood of citizens in agriculture, Small Scales businesses and other value chain infrastructures.

    Speaking during the flagg-off of the 8th Implementation Support Mission (ISM) of the APPEALS Project, in Calabar, the Chairman of Project’s State Steering Committee and Deputy Governor of Cross River, Prof. Ivara Esu said after the last Implementation Support Mission,improvements have been recorded.

    The Chiarman who spoke through the Cross River State Commissioner for International Development Cooperation, Dr. Inyang Asibong, stated that the exhibition stands at the event is a testimony to the success story and life-changing opportunities the CR-APPEALS Project has achieved.

    “With the support of the World Bank and the Federal Government of Nigeria, indigenes of the State have benefitted a lot from the project,with the success stories recorded in almost all the value chains of cocoa, poultry, rice, as well as cassava and aquaculture.

    “Apart from the rich array of products on display at the exhibition center, the availability of a mini library which is stocked with newsletters, pamphlets, standard procedure manual in the manufacturing and processing industry in the State, offers stakeholders, participants and guests a comprehensive overview of the Project’s achievements in Cross River State” he explained.

    Speaking on the Mission Objectives, the World Bank Task Team Leader (TTL), Dr. Tunji Oredipe called on the CR-APPEALS team to step up on the gas peddle in the utilization of available funds for effective projection implementation in the State.

    Dr. Oredipe, represented by the World Bank’s Senior Social Development Specialist, Prof. Oluleayode Taiwo, also stressed on the importance of documentation of all transactions made, as accountability remains the Bank’s core.

    In his keynote address, the National Project Coordinator, Mr. Mohammed Jobdi, who posited that the essence of the biannual mission was to review the implementation status of the project in various states, also lauded CR-APPEALS for the ‘appreciable progress’ made so far in the different value chains, women and youths, infrastructure, and other components of the project.

    Earlier in his welcome address, the State Coordinator, CR-APPEALS, Dr. Marcel Agim commended the World Bank and the National Project Coordination Office for the tireless efforts to see that the Project remained in shape.

    In his vote of thanks, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Mr Jacob Udida, opined that Cross River remains the only State among the APPEALS Project States in Nigeria to have a poultry cluster of over forty thousand (40,000) birds are being nursed to enhance the poultry value chain with the support of Governor Ben Ayade.

  • National Social Register: Cross River Scores High, Receives World Bank Commendation

    National Social Register: Cross River Scores High, Receives World Bank Commendation

     

    Cross River State has been commended as one of the best states in Nigeria to have performed above expectations in the National Social Register Scheme aimed at reducing poverty indices and improving livelihood of the state’s populace.

    The Commendations came from the World Bank to the Federal Government of Nigeria, for prioritising the National Social Register (NSR), where Cross River emerged as one of the best states In Nigeria at the close out ceremony of the project on the 10th of June 2022.

    The multilateral institution described the NSR is a credible building block for social intervention, noting that it was committed to partnering with the federal government to strengthen the Register.

    The Word Bank said the programme provides a potent mechanism of achieving President Muhammadu Buhari’s target of taking 100 million Nigerians out of poverty by 2030.

    The State Commissioner for International Development Cooperation, Dr. Inyang Asibong, while appreciating the World Bank for recognising the work done in Cross River opined that the report further underlines the astute response by Governor Ben Ayade administration to capturing seven hundred and eighty four thousand three hundred and ninety seven (784,397) poor and vulnerable individuals from one hundred and sixty five thousand two hundred snd seventy (165,270) households across its 18 local government areas using multiple mechanisms.

    The Commissioner explained that the State is placed well on its solid foundation way to reducing its poverty indices and improving the livelihood of the state’s population.

    Asibong said state government led by Sen. (Prof.) Ben Ayade also placed a premium on job creation through its industrialization drive and infrastructural development.

    The National Safety Nets Project (NASSP), National Social Safety Nets Coordinating Office (NASSCO)/ World Bank Stakeholders Outreach on the NSR which held recently in Abuja had in attendance the Regional Director, Human Development, Rena Ringold; the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Dr. Nasir Sani Gwarzo; the Special Adviser to the President on Social Investments, Mrs. Maryam Uwais; and the National Coordinator, NASSCO, Mr. Iorwa Apera.

    So far, the NSR has covered over 48 million individuals, more that 11.6 million households, 134,103 communities, over 8,000 federal electoral wards as well as 752 local governments across the country. Based on the estimated number of poor Nigerians in the country, Mr. Iorwa Apera, in a presentation, pointed that the register already captured over 70% of Key Performance Indicators (KPI) while only 22 out of the 774 local councils are yet to be captured.

  • UNFPA, GADA Partners C’River Govt On Safe Space In Public Secondary Schools

    UNFPA, GADA Partners C’River Govt On Safe Space In Public Secondary Schools

     

    Cross River State Government has reinstated its commitment to partner any Non-Government Organisation that will support its effort in safe space environment, gender equality, gender equity and the pursuit of sustainable development and social justice in the state.

    The Commissioner for International Development Cooperation, Dr Inyang Asibong stated this while commissioning the Safe Space supported by the UNFPA/GADA at the West African People Institute (WAPI) in Calabar.

    Asibong assured that the State Government will continue to engage partners to support such laudable initiatives in public schools, saying Safe Space has come to stay in the state.

    She described a Safe Space as a place or environment in which people, especially women and adolescent girls, can feel safe and confident knowing they will not be exposed to any form of discrimination, criticism, harassment or any other emotional or physical harm.

    The Commissioner concluded by commending UNFPA and GADA for their support towards the establishment and equipping of the Safe Space, charging the school’s principal on safeguard and judicious use of the items.

    Earlier in her remarks, the UNFPA/GADA Team Lead, Mrs Akon Bassey, noted that GADA is the implementing Civil Society Organisation (CSO) for the Spotlight initiatives programme with commitment to reduce gender inequality and provide opportunities for girls child, while creating awareness to curb child molestation and abuse of women in Nigeria.

    “Under the initiative in 2021, GADA established Safe Spaces within formal and non-formal settings in different secondary schools, including WAPI Secondary School and Henshaw Town Secondary School.

    This effort is in line with the Ben Ayade led Government’s resolve to ensure that school children study in a safe and secure environment free of all forms of violence” she explained.”

    In his remarks, the WAPI Principal thanked GADA, UNFPA and the State Government for their support and provisions of the items to the school.

    Along with the structure, office cabinets, chairs, dignity kits, generators, reading materials to ensure the comfort of survivors at the adolescent safe space were also donated amongst others.

  • C’River Govt Assures UNICEF Of Continuous Partnership On Children Wellbeing

    C’River Govt Assures UNICEF Of Continuous Partnership On Children Wellbeing

     

    Cross River State Government has assured the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), of continuous Partnership on Education,healthcare and other other wellbeing for Children in the State

    The State Commissioner for International Development Cooperation, Dr Inyang Asibong, gave the assurance when she received the UNICEF team led by its Chief of Office for the South South/ South East region,Ms Juliet Chiluwe in her office.

    Asibong said Cross River will Continue to partner with UNICEF in the areas of Health, Basic Education ,Child Protection, Emergency, WASH among others well being initiatives of the agencies.

    She thanked UNICEF for its contribution to the development of the state over the years & promised the new Chief that she will enjoy the same cooperation extended to her predecessor, Dr Ibrahim Conteh while in the region.

    UNICEF new Chief officer Enugu Field Office, Ms Juliet Chiluwe, in her remarks explained that the performance of Cross River State over the years has been encouraging,especially its track record in Children Education, nutrition and wellbeing.

    She said the state will benefit from school Children Nutrition, Education Action Plan, Data, Medium Term State Development Plan & several other initiatives of the agency

    The UN agency also Promises to improve on community-level services to promote the well-being of school children in Cross River State.

  • C’River Takes The Lead, Commences Midwives Training For BHCPF Programme, As States And Fed Govt Seeks Measures To Curb Maternal And Child Mortality

    C’River Takes The Lead, Commences Midwives Training For BHCPF Programme, As States And Fed Govt Seeks Measures To Curb Maternal And Child Mortality

    By Simon Ushie

    The Cross River State Government in collaboration with the Federal Government through its Primary Healthcare Development Agencies are calling for decent and outright measures to effective Health Care service delivery to help reduce the rate of maternal and child mortality in Cross River State.

    The call was made during the flag off ceremony of the Training/ orientation for newly recruited midwives with the theme ” Reach Every Ward with Skilled Birth Attendants (REWSB)” as part of modalities towards the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund programme implementation in the state.

    The Director General, Cross River State Primary Healthcare Development Agency (CRSPHCDA), Dr. Janet Ekpenyong in an opening remarks, thanked the federal government for it’s contributions towards the actualization of the Basic Health Care Provision Fund programme in states adding that the scheme will boost adequate facility utilization especially in the rural areas.

    She maintained that the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund programme has played an important role in developing and strengthening of health facilities and at large the Primary Healthcare system by ensuring that health services are administered rightly and at it’s set pace.

    She also commended the state Governor, His Excellency, Sen. Prof. Ben Ayade for all his effort in pushing the health sector to the next level noting that he has placed a top priority on the Health sector which have really helped in strengthening the health care services in the State.

    “”Midwives play a huge role in creating demand for facility utilization, especially for pregnant women and children under 5. If you have a nurse and a midwife in a health facility, you are more confident that pregnant women are going to be receiving quality health services from a skilled birth attendant.”

    ” In our effort to ensure that we can reduce maternal and infant mortality, we believe that a skilled birth attendant should be in our health facilities and that is why His Excellency, Sen. Prof. Ben Ayade is committed to the actualization of this laudable initiative in Cross River State.”

    “We are also glad that Cross River State is the first state to implement this program in the country. This is actually a national policy and it is expected that every state will benefit from the basic healthcare fund. However, I will encourage everyone to buy in and let there be that political will that can give it the necessary push.”

    In his response, the representative of the ED, National Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr. Obasi gave an insight on the objectives of the training which he said is to ensure that Nurses and Midwives become well trained ,equipped with modern regiments of service .

    He said, the training will afford the beneficiaries the requisite details and offer them the capacity to disseminate same knowledge when rendering health care services; and to ensure seemless Birth delivery in Health facilities and not in Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs).

    He also advised the State should leverage on Basic Healthcare Provision Fund to improve the capacities of Midwives as training/orientation is strictly with a focus of having skilled Birth Attendants in the State Health Centres as he pledged full support for the program.

    The Chairman, House Committee on Health, Hon. Dr. Ekpo Ekpo Bassey, in his remarks, stated that having to train Midwives, it will help reduce the rate of maternal and child mortality rate, it will help safeguard the lives of pregnant women, noting that more funds must be pushed and set aside for the health sector.

    This training is very important because it has been the concern of the government to reduce maternal, neonatal, and childhood mortality in the country and Cross River State in particular. 512 women out of every 100,000 lives die as a result of pregnancy and childbirth, this is unacceptable anywhere in the world.

    Speaking on the challenges the training will help address, Mrs. Gertrude Usani, a retired Director of Nursing Services, Cross River State mentioned that the training is coming at the right time and that issues bothering on Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs), child and maternal mortality will be managed and well addressed.

    “The government has come in timely to select retired and well-experienced midwives to attend to the necessity on ground. What is happening now is that we are lacking a lot of skilled manpower in the health centers and grassroots areas”.
    ” So selecting us to go there and man the manpower that is there will help reduce the maternal and child mortality and morbidity rate in the state.”
    “One major issue we must address is the issue of TBAs. The TBAs most times bite more than they can chew. Some of them are experienced but we always tell them to refer to a higher cadre hospital when they identify complications. But they always try to sort things out by themselves till the cases are complicated beyond management, they now send it to the hospital.”
    Other contributions came in from the Permanent secretary SMOH represented by the DA Barr John Odu, Permanent secretary SPHCDA Barr Emmanuel Ekeh, Mrs Pauline Obute Director Nursing services, Secretary of the board, Barr Dan Effiom,
    Sally Enyim, Director Community and family Health, Mrs Ekaete Ekpenyong, BHCPF focal person, Dr Ojo of World Health Organization,Dr Daggy of MSF and other supportive partners who commended the state government for it’s pace in the adaptation of modern medical practices and it’s resultant effects on citizens.
    High point of the event was the official Flag-off by the Chairman House Committee on Health, Dr Ekpo Ekpo Bassey and the nurses pledge by the midwives who pledged to ensure best practices in their health facilities.

  • Sen Jarigbe Agom Facilitates The Construction Of A Mini Stadium In Ogoja

    Sen Jarigbe Agom Facilitates The Construction Of A Mini Stadium In Ogoja

     

    The mini stadium project located opposite Brigadier Godwin Ally Military Cantonment is facilitated by Sen Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe, senator representing Cross River Northern Senatorial District.

    The site which was initially designated for the construction of a solar panel factory by governor Ben Ayade was abandoned immediately after inauguration and the government sign post was blown of by winds.

  • EKENGE CRISIS: ACION Congratulates Chief Emmanuel Etok Over Victory In Court.

    EKENGE CRISIS: ACION Congratulates Chief Emmanuel Etok Over Victory In Court.

     

    By Our Reporter

    The Association of Concerned Indigenes of Okoyong, ACION, a frontline socio-political group aimed at promoting the interest of Okoyong nation, have congratulated Chief Emmanuel Ekpenyong Etok over his recent victory at the court.

    Mr. Etok was arrested by operatives of Nigeria secret service, the Department of State Security Service, DSS in 2021 and incarcerated for over two weeks over claims by Hon. Bobby Ekpenyong that bothered around criminal activities.

    Hon. Bobby Ekpenyong had petitioned the DSS and the Nigerian Army, accusing Chief Etok of harboring criminals and encouraging kidnapping activities among other offences in Ekenge community in Okoyong, Odukpani LGA of Cross River State.
    Chief Etok, a retired Central Bank branch Manager was then arrested, detained and tortured for several days by security agents.

    “Although, the event leading up to the petition was known to have emanated from a traditional leadership tussle in Ekenge community, Hon. Bobby allegedly told security agents that, it was about kidnapping activities sponsored by Chief Etok” a source familiar with the story told our reporter.

    But in a judgement deliver on Wednesday, by Prof . Victor Offiong, a presiding judge in Odukpani high court division, Hon. Bobby Ekpenyong with two others were mandated to pay N10million each to Chief Etok as damages for the violation of his fundamental human right, illegal arrest and detention among reasons. The trio were also directed by the court to render a public apology to Chief Etok.

    In a letter of felicitation sent to Chief Emmanuel Etok, who is also a patron of the association. President of ACION, Pastor Effiong Ekpo said “your arrest, detention and torture by agents of the DSS was the handiwork of evil makers. And we are happy today that you have been justified”

    According to pastor Ekpo, “Indeed, the judiciary have again proven to be the hope of the common man. The entire Okoyong nation wishes to express their gratitude to those courageous judges and respected members of the bench who preferred to stand on the right side of history, rather than dine with the devil”

  • Sen Jarigbe Agom Facilitates The Construction Of A 2Km Road In Ogoja

    Sen Jarigbe Agom Facilitates The Construction Of A 2Km Road In Ogoja

     

    The Senator Representing Cross River Northern Senatorial District, Distinguished Senator Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe, has facilitated the construction of a 2 kilometre road in Ikaptang, Ishibori-Ogoja LGA.

    So far, sen. Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe has facilitated the construction of the following Roads in Cross River North;

    -Igodor road, Nkum Ogoja LGA.

    -construction/Rehabilitation of 1.3 Km Prince Akwaji Offiono Road, Yala LGA.

    -Construction of Nwang road, Ekajuk Ogoja LGA

    – 2km bad portion of ‘akunakuna’ road, leading to Judges Quarters G.R.A, Ogoja LGA – Ministry of Niger Delta

    -Construction of Boki Road in Abakpa, Ogoja LGA – NDDC 2017 Budget, amongst several other roads constructed during his House of Representative days.

    The road construction is among several other laudable projects currently ongoing in the Senatorial district.

    TEAM JARI MEDIA

  • Utugwang Central Councilor, Hon Emmanuel Adinyang Commends Sen Jarigbe Agom For Undertaking The Renovation Of Govt Primary School Ukpirinyi-Utugwang

    Utugwang Central Councilor, Hon Emmanuel Adinyang Commends Sen Jarigbe Agom For Undertaking The Renovation Of Govt Primary School Ukpirinyi-Utugwang

    By Elijah Ugani

    The Councilor representing Utugwang Central in Obudu Legislative Council and House Committee Chairman on Education, Hon Emmanuel Adinyang has commended Sen Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe, senator representing Cross River Northern Senatorial District for the various interventions currently undertaken by the senator, especially the renovation of a classroom block in Government Primary School Ukpirinyi-Utugwang.

    The lawmaker who took to his verified Facebook page to the commend senator Jarigbe Agom on behalf of his constituents, used the opportunity to commend Prince KJay Jeddy-Agba, who he thought may have drawn the attention of the senator to the delapidated status of the school.

    Recall that Hon Emmanuel Adinyang was among the councilors elected on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party PDP, who defected with Governor Ben Ayade to the All Progressive Congress APC.