The Lumine News

Tag: Ben Ayade

  • Governor Ayade’s Aunt Dies At 122 years

     

    The Cross River State Governor, Ben Ayade is said to have lost his aunt, Ama Suzan undiegah Agaba, at age 122 years whose sad event occured September 3rd, 2022.

    The late Mrs Susan undiegah Agaba was the governor’s father elder sister, and the grandmother of Dr Francis Agaba, PhD, a lecturer in the Department of Computer Science, University of Calabar, Calabar.

    The mama Susan contributed in her own small measure to the upbringing of most of her brothers, sisters, nephews, cousins and a host of other relatives.

    In a release bymby the Chief mourner,a Mr Andrew Agaba and made available to TheLumineNews, indicates that, Wake Keep is slated for Friday, September 23rd at Mr Marcellinus Ushie Agaba’s compund, Betukwel. While funeral service is to hold on Saturday, September 24th, 2022 at 10.00am at St Joseph Catholic Church, Betukwel, and internment to follow immediately at her family compund in Betukwel, Obudu Local Government Area of Cross River State.

    She is survived by seven (7) children, 15 grandchildren, 21 great grandchildren, 14 nephews, 15 nieces and a host of other relatives to mourn her.

  • The Knight From Kakum And His Merchants Of Poverty: This House Has Fallen BY UMEZULIKE DESMOND-CRUZ

     

    Nothing illustrates the warped sense of history and the complete obliteration of our collective values as the apparent conspiracy of silence amongst the people who ordinarily should speak out against the many ill-fated administrative malfeasance of the infamous Knight from Kakum. To me, it does appear that a lot of persons are either becoming comfortable with the awkward and agonizing situations we are currently facing as a state or that we are ignorant of the fact that this house has fallen – the state that was handed over to the Knight from Kakum is now a shadow of itself. For whatever reason, this knight from kakum is gradually turning our once radiant state into a nightmarish cesspool of mind-blowing absurdities. Like Senator Sandy Onor of the Peoples Democratic Party correctly observed recently, “Our State is gradually sliding into the valley of the shadow of death.”

    Our dear State is currently on a life support. Our Civil Service Commission is in deep crisis. Our morals, values and culture as a state have been brazenly debased. Our Infrastructure and amenities are now moribund. Our streets and erstwhile beautiful roads are now occupied by repugnant putrefacient wastes and debris. Internally generated revenue from the State now goes into private pockets. Our forest reserves have been invaded and commercialized by rapacious state agents. The Knight from Kakum has turned himself into a merchant of poverty, trading the future of our youths for crumbs off his table.

    Like Joseph Stalin, the Knight from Kakum has weaponized poverty and hunger against the people he swore to protect. Historians tell us that during the last days of the Soviet Union, Joseph Stalin in a bid to make an unforgettable impression before some of his henchmen, called for a live chicken. Forcefully clutching the chicken in one hand, he used the other to systematically pluck out its feathers. As the chicken struggled in vain to escape, he continued with the painful denuding until the bird was completely stripped of its feathers. Dramatically, Stalin placed the chicken on the floor and walked away with some bread crumbs in his hand. Incredibly, the fear-crazed chicken rather than run away for its life, hobbled towards him and clung to the legs of his trousers. Stalin threw a handful of grain to the bird, and it began to follow him around the room. He then turned to his dumbfounded henchmen and said calmly, “This is the way to rule the people. That chicken followed me for food, even though I had caused it such torture. People are like that chicken. If you inflict inordinate pain on them, they will follow you for food the rest of their lives.”

    Using the Stalin Model, the Knight from Kakum has taken away everything that we once held dear as a people and has stripped us of our dignity, while throwing crumbs at us in the name of what he calls “food on the table” appointments. In silence, we watch our state being raped and our values debased by a cartel of narcissistic megalomaniacs and kleptomaniacs. No one is willing to speak out and should one dare, a poisoned chalice would be dangled at him/her in the name of state appointment, which has conscience killer in our clime. While this Knight from Kakum and his merchants of Poverty have broken our ancient walls and turned our once productive youths into intellectually debased slaves, I am more worried about the future than the now. What becomes of our young people after the inglorious tenure of the Knight from Kakum? When there’s no more free food on the table, how mentally prepared are the young people to fend for themselves? I honestly fear for the future. I envisage a future where the young people would rather eat crumbs off the tables of politicians than doing honest work. Unfortunately, we would all be here to witness the aftermath of the many atrocious acts committed against the state and its people by the flimsy Knight from kakum and his merchants of Poverty.

    Ladies and Gentlemen!
    This House Has Fallen.
    Our State Has Fallen And We Must Collectively Reclaim Our State.

    Disclaimer: The opinion expressed in this article is strictly that of the author, Umezulike Desmond-Cruz and does not represent TheLumineNews or its staff.

  • Governors Ben Ayade, Ganduje, Sule, And Others Honoured As Nigeria Mark Africa Immunization Week

     

    Cross River State Grovernor, Ben Ayade, has been honoured along side other Governors as Cross River State is said to be one of the top performing states in the Nation for distinguishing themselves and recording improved scorecards in all vaccination actives as well as setting standards in the operations of Primary Healthcare Activities in the country.

    This is part of the week long activities to mark the 2022 Africa Immunization Week organized by the Federal Government of Nigeria through the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency in collaboration with health care partners to encourage states meet their immunization benchmark in all Local Government Areas.

    Speaking after the presentation of the awards, His Excellency Sen Prof Ben Ayade, the Executive Governor of Cross River State, represented by the National Women Leader of the All Progressive Congress, Dr Betta Edu said it was a thing of honour to distinguish Cross River State from every other states in the South South region , noting that, the state has always been a formidable force to be reckoned with in Primary and Secondary health care service delivery since the early days of the Senator Ben Ayade’s administration.

    She congratulated and appreciated the Governor for always prioritizing health and for all the investment and innovations which are yield results.

    She thanked the Federal Government for its supports and contributions to the evolving health status of the country, noting that, in the nearest future, Nigeria will become the leading health providing nation in Africa and major player in the global health policy framework.

    She praised the Director General of the Cross River State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr Janet Ekpenyong and the entire health team , for always being result oriented.

    In her response, Director General of the Cross River State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr Janet Ekpenyong accompanied by the Permanent Secretary, State Ministry of Health, Dr Iwara Iwara and the Director of Immunization Services, Mrs Joy Chabo expressed their appreciation for the honour as she appreciated His Excellency, Governor Ben Ayade and his dear wife, Dr Linda Ayade for their continued support to the health sector. She also appreciated the Deputy Governor, Professor Ivara Esu for leadership as the Chairman Task team on Immunization.

    The DG outlined the numerous parameters for the success attained and how the state ascertained it’s top spot.

    She noted that the collective contributions of health workers in the state and their selfless disposition to duties are some of the cardinal factors which has driven immunization campaign messages to all regions irrespective of physical and environmental barriers in the state. She thanked them profusely for their sacrifice.

    She also noted and appreciated the contributions of religious and traditional leaders, cso, and stakeholders from all sectors who played a huge role to this success.

    She promised that the state will continue to do it’s best to ensure Nigeria’s certification of a vaccine compliant state eradicate vaccine preventable deaths in the country.

  • Obudu, Has Your Suffering Ended? BY AGBA JALINGO

     

    June 22, 2015, Ben Ayade, the Obudu born Professor, Senator representing Cross River North at the time and governorship flag bearer of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for the 2015 general election in Cross River State, declared an end to the sufferings of Obudu people to the delight of an ecstatic crowd that gathered at the Chief J.A. Agba memorial stadium in Obudu.

    Filled with satisfaction over the manner, disposition and the massive turn out of his people to welcome him, he could not control his excitement as he announced the end of perils in Obudu. In his words ” Kugbudu, Kingie Kimen Kimbe ” which means, “Obudu, your suffering has ended”. It’s exactly 7 years and 52 days after that day and the question on my lips this morning is: “Has the suffering of Obudu people ended?

    Since he took over as Governor, Ayade has nursed some very ambitious projects for Obudu, his home town. Principally, these projects include: The British/Canadian School, the Obudu International Airport, the Obudu German Specialist Hospital, the Obudu Independent Power Project and the Mini Super Highway which is supposed to criss cross the five LGAs of Northern Cross River. No doubt these are the most touted projects of the governor in Obudu. But let us examine them one after the other.

    1. The British/Canadian School: Most of the buildings have been completed. But nothing is going on there. The governor says he wants to turn it to a university campus contrary to the original concept of a basic and high school. It is practical to say he will leave office without any activity in that place. But it will be a thing of great joy for me, even if it’s the primary school that can start functioning first, like the one inside the Teachers Training Institute in Biase, so we can at least remember that he built us a school. For now, there is no school in that place yet. Just some structures.

    2. The Obudu International Airport: Governor Ayade said publicly that if he doesn’t complete it, we should carry our sacred “bizu” leaves and banish him from Obudu. That’s what will happen because since the terminal building of the airport collapsed, not much is going on there. Our governor simply doesn’t have the money or the time to finish any kind of port now, not to even talk of an airport. He has only 289 days left. Airports aren’t built in days. He has only set a recipe for communal crisis as homeless land owners are already returning to reclaim portions of the now bushy site, which may snowball into crisis.

    3. The Obudu German Specialist Hospital: The buildings have also been erected and beautifully painted like a sepulchre. Even the fence is so beautiful from the road that when you see it, you will wonder what is happening inside. But verily verily, nothing is going on inside and I don’t know when empty buildings started bearing the name, hospital. We all know what a hospital is and what happens inside. There is nothing like a German hospital in Obudu yet. I am not lying. It is the truth. What we have there is some painted structures and a few equipment supplied and abandoned by Cocharis. The only public hospital in Obudu till today is the Sacred Heart Hospital along hospital road, built by the Catholic mission. If we eventually have a new hospital in Obudu, whether you call it German or Nigerian hospital, I will not hesitate to tell you.

    4. Obudu Independent Power Project: Our governor trumpeted this as one of his flagship projects in Obudu. He went and purchased two diesel powered generators and brought them to power an entire LGA, in the 21st century. A small diesel generator used to power a BTS consumes about 18,000 liters of fuel per year. CO2 emission from one liter of diesel fuel is 2.68kg. Meaning one generator emits 46.5 metric tons of CO2 annually. With those large LPFO powered generators, it is a massive environmental risk that should have been put into consideration by a Governor who is an environmentalist. Yet, the last time those generators came on was in 2019 when Ayade’s niece, Memshima was getting married. The power project has since been abandoned and the generators are parked somewhere along Ranch road.

    5. Mini Super Highway: I don’t need to talk much here. I just shared a video of the road with you yesterday. A road still under construction is been washed off by the rains. A road without drainages. A road so terribly done that it cannot even stand till the completion of the project. The road that failed before Ayade deceived us that he is fixing it, lasted for over 30 years. Even the job that Ayade’s construction company, Leophina Construction, got from the Federal Ministry of Works to do total rehabilitation and resurfacing of the highway from Obudu to Wula in Boki, the Governor and his brother Franko, collected the money, managed to grind the road up to Akorsie in Obanliku, abandoned the project and pocketed the money. Today, you can’t go to Obudu through Boki. We have to pass through Ogoja which is a longer route.

    I am from Obudu. I wish above all things that Obudu is developed and prospers. I won’t be deceived by anyone. Not at this my age. I will not join those who want to perpetually lie to our people to say what isn’t verifiable. If all these projects take off, I will tell you so. If governor Ayade leaves office today, there is nothing, absolutely nothing in Obudu, that we will point to that he did for his people other than these meaningless food on the table titles that will evaporate on his exit. It is rodents and reptiles that will leave in those empty buildings.

    Don’t lie to me. Complete these projects. Get them working and let us indeed know that even if you were unable to end our suffering in Obudu like you promised in June 2015, at least you were able to reduce the suffering.

    Yours sincerely,
    Citizen Agba Jalingo.

  • Concession of Cross River State Factories: Our Husband Has Gone Mad Again BY UMEZULIKE DESMOND-CRUZ

     

    In his book, Our Husband Has Gone Mad Again, the legendary Playwright, Olawale Gladstone Emmanuel Rotimi, best known as Ola Rotimi, satirizes the immorality, dubiousness and double-dealing predominant in the Politics of Nigeria.

    Major Rahman Taslim Lekoja-Brown, a retired army officer left his successful cocoa business to join partisan Politics. He did so, not because he loves to serve the people but because of what he has to gain: Money and Fame. He married his eldest brother’s wife and also married another woman, Liza, who was an American Catholic nurse. But when he joined partisan politics, in order to win more votes, especially from the women, Lejoka-Brown married yet another woman, Sikira, the daughter of the president of the Market women union.

    Like Lejoka-Brown, our own husband of Cross River State, sees Politics as the only means of survival after leaving his businesses in Delta State to join partisan Politics. In other to achieve his aim, he entered into a holy matrimony with the people of the Northern Senatorial District. In his 4years of marriage to the North, he pamperized, mesmerized and romanticized the people of the Northern Senatorial District, that every maiden in Cross River State, saw him as the Prince charming and Mr. Right that Cross River State desired.

    We ran after him and accepted his marriage proposal. 7years afterwards, our husband went mad. He has taken away everything that we once held sacred. He has stripped us of our beauty and denied us the joy of a blissful matrimony. He sold our heritage and took away our pride. He invaded our rainforest in Boki, Etung, Obubra, Akamkpa and Ikom and buried our economic trees.

    He promised us heaven, but delivered hell. 7years afterwards, our husband has gone mad again. This time around, our husband has surreptitiously concessed our factories to a faceless entity without our consent. In his defense, he claimed he conducted a referendum yet none of his wives (Constituents) can attest to when and where this referendum was conducted. We heard he concessioned 38 State factories, yet we saw no advertisment on any print or electronic media, nor did we participate in the concession process.

    Nevertheless, like Liza, who returned from America to discover that she was not the only woman in Lejoka-Brown’s life, and as expected from a typical western Catholic Woman, led a women liberation Movement that finally led to the booting out of Lejoka-Brown out of the National Liberation Party, we the wives of Cross River State, shall in 2023, reclaim our land and divorce our now-estranged husband. Revolution is coming!!!

    We urge our husband to forgo his ill-fated ambition of returning to his first marriage, Northern Senatorial District, and save himself the unnecessary stress of contesting for the Senate, given the reality of the electoral act and the recent judgement of the Federal High Court sitting in Ebonyi State. We urge him to save himself some dignity, lest he faces the same fate that befell his friend from Yala, Dr Steve Odey.

  • Cross River State: A City Of Refuse Under Ben Ayade – PDP

     

  • Ekpe Hilary Uchiche, Hon Francis Lukpata Igbologidi, Helen Laffin And Hon Clement Obok Rejects Gov Ayade’s Appointment, Insists On Sen Jarigbe’s Reelection

    Some PDP stakeholders of Ukelle extraction in Yala Local Government Area, were lobbied by Governor Ben Ayade as part 9f his strategy to win the 2923 election to represent Cross Northern Senatorial District.

    Against their expectations, the Stakeholders  Uchiche, Hon Francis Lukpata Igbologidi, Helen Laffin And Hon Clement Obok rejected the appointment and insisted on Sen Jarigbe’s Reelection.

     

     

     

     

     

  • Ayade Calls For Effective Data Management For Optimized Service Delivery In The Health Sector

    By Simon Ushie

    The Cross River State Governor, Senator Ben Ayade has called for improved data management system in the health sector for optimized service delivery across the 18 Local Government Areas of the state and the country.

    Senator Ayade was speaking during the flag off ceremony of the Community Health Management Information System in Calabar, the Cross River State Capital aimed at strengthing synergy between the State and Federal Government.

    The Governor who was represented by the Director General of the Cross River State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr Janet Ekpenyong said, quality and precised data remains the bedrock of effective policy planning and implementation.

    She said, the government of Cross River State have over the years leveraged on optimized data collection and synchronization using home grown principles which are relative to various Communities with best standard practices being upheld.

    According to Dr Ekpenyong ” if we must have a working and formidable program and policies, we must ensure we generate quality and reliable data by taking advantage of programs like the Community Health Intervention Program (CHIPs), Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) which are designed to bridge health services delivery gaps and approaches at the grassroot, by creating demand for available health services at the health centers.
    The CHIPS program is designed to ensure follow-up of pregnant women and children to access ANC services and immunization services respectively and other available services in the nearest facilities”.

    The New comprehensive community health management information system (CHMIS) tool will help generate quality, timely and reliable data that will reveal gaps and where the state is doing well that will further inform decision and needed intervention.

    She further maintained that quality data collated from communities will help address various challenges in the health sector while also appreciating the state governor for his selfless disposition towards the implementation of health policies and the improvement of healthcare delivery in the state. She also thanked the federal government for acknowledging that there are gaps in the current HMIS tools and for providing solution to tackle the gaps. She also appreciated them for picking Cross River State as one of the states to pilot the tool.
    She encouraged those to be trained on the new tools to pay attention and be very involved as they will cascade all information and knowledge acquired to those in their LGAs.

    In his response, the Honourable Minister of Health represented by Mrs Osindeinde Ademilayo, intimated that accurate data will bring to awareness various challenges faced by states and specific programs thereby helping in managing problems.
    She reiterated Federal Government’s commitment to strengthening the health system of the country by applying a bottom up approach.

    In his remark, a consultant in the Federal Ministry of Health on Community Health Management Information System, Dr Nathaniel Afolabi disclosed that, the Ministry will partner with the state government in training Facilitators on quality data collection and implementation processes for basic programs in the state.

    He said, with collaborations with UNICEF , the Ministry will undergo preliminary training in three selected Local Government Areas namely, Boki, Odukpani and Obudu on Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) in preparation for field exercise for selected diseases and outbreaks.

    “The aims and roles of CHMIS is to provide data for informed Community decision making, as well as promote community ownership of health intervention and help monitor progress. It is aimed at encouraging pregnant women on the importance of Antenatal care to eradicate maternal mortality and other common diseases around us”.

    He further added that the Scheme will help incorporate data in Communities and bring them up among Community workers which are more reliable, with tendency towards improving efficiency for effective decision making.

    Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Cross River State, Dr Iwara Iwara, stated that tools are to be used at the community level noting that Participants are to be trained because without adequate data from the source, there will be no accurate data at the State level; therefore urging everyone to maintain attentiveness so as to arrive at appropriate and accurate data and to cascade the knowledge gain to the community.

    A Representative of UNICEF, Dr Olusoji Akinleye emphasized the importance of quality data as a tool for advocacy and decision making, encouraging the participants to prioritize the training as it will help the state achieve reliable data.

    Also present were members from Federal Ministry of Health, Cross River State Ministry of Health,, Cross River State Primary Healthcare Development Agency and Dr Fatima of UNICEF who immensely contributed their quota for the success of the programme.
    High point of the event was the official Flag-off of the training by His Excellency, Sen Prof Ben Ayade ably represented by the Director General, Dr Janet Ekpenyong.

    Globally, Data is said to be the focal agent of change, planning, development in every field of endeavor comprising of selective methods including processes of Data Collected, Data reporting, data analysis and implementation. The pilot will be in three LGAs as plans are in the way for scale up to other LGAS in the state.

  • Oyadama-Nko Crisis: Former Presidential Aide, Obono-Obla Calls For The Suspension of Obubra And Yakurr Council Chairmen

    The former Presidential Aide to Muhammadu Buhari, Chief Obono-Obla has called on Governor Ben Ayade to invoke the power vested on him by the Cross River State Local Government Law to direct the suspension from of office the Chairmen of Obubra and Yakurr local government councils following the renewed communual crisis between Oyadama in Obubra local government, and Nko in Yakurr local government area.

    Obono-Obla took to his verified Facebook page to make the call “I call on the Governor of Cross River State to immediately invoke the power vested in him by the Cross River State Local government Law to direct the suspension from office of the Chairmen of Obubra and Yakurr local government councils.

    This call has become imperative following the breakdown of law and order arising from the inter-communal violence that has wreaked part of Obubra and Yakurr local government areas of Cross River State.

    The violence in these two communities has led to deaths and wanton destruction of property.
    Nko has been under unrelenting attacks from soldiers posted there to maintain the peace.
    Indeed Nko has been completely deserted and turned into a ghost town, and the population is internally displaced.

    I urge the Governor of the Cross River State Law to invoke section 11 of the Cross River State Local government Law and direct the suspension of these chairmen.
    The law empowers the Governor to direct the suspensions of the Chairman of a local government council that suffers a breakdown of law and order.

    Indeed there has been such a breakdown of law and order in Onyedama (Obubra local government area ) and Nko(Yakurr local government area )for the past week.

    “The suspension will send a clear and firm signal to the Chairmen of local government councils in the State to sit down and work and stem inter-communal violence that is a recurring decimal in some parts of the State.”

  • 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.