The Lumine News

Tag: Ben Ayade

  • Golden Eaglets Begs Ayade To Redeem Pledged House Gifts

    Golden Eaglets Begs Ayade To Redeem Pledged House Gifts

    Culled From The Nationonline

    Seven years after, the FIFA U-17 World Cup-winning Golden Eaglets’ squad of 2013 has yet make a clarion call to Governor Ben Ayade to redeem the Cross River State’s pledge of a house gift to players and officials of the team.

    A feat that made Governor Ayade’s predecessor, Senator Liyel Imoke, during the State’s banquet for the team at Government House in Calabar on Saturday 15th November 2013, announced the house gifts to the 21 players and 10 officials, adding the houses would be located in the State’s new housing estate in Akpabuyo Local Government Area.

    “Frankly, it’s unbelievable that we are yet to be given these houses almost 10 years after we won the FIFA U-17 World Cup and celebrated by everybody.

    “In fact, we were most impressed when Senator Imoke said in the presence of the then Minister of Youth and Sports Development Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi; former NFF President Alhaji Aminu Maigari and members of his cabinet, that he preferred house gifts as a lasting legacy than monetary rewards; but it’s unfortunate that after all these years, we are still waiting for the houses to be delivered to the players and officials.”

    Speaking in the same vein, the 2013 World Cup-winning captain, Musa Muhammed said he was tired of explaining to the players time and time again that the houses were yet to be given: “I don’t think a day has passed without one or two of the players asking me about our houses in Calabar but I want to use this opportunity to beg our father, Governor Ayade, for the house gifts for both the players and officials.”

  • Gov. Ayade Confirms The Appointment Of Prof. Angba As CRUTECH VC.

    Gov. Ayade Confirms The Appointment Of Prof. Angba As CRUTECH VC.

    By Elijah Ugani – Calabar

    The Cross River State Governor, Sir Ben Ayade has confirmed the appointment of Prof. Austin Oko Angba as the substantive Vice Chancellor of the Cross River University of Technology CRUTECH.

    In a release signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Barr. Tina Agbor and sighted by The Lumine News, dated 9th November, 2020, indicates that the appointment takes effect from 6th November, 2020, and he is to serve a term of five years.

    Prof. Angba was among the three names forwarded by the Governing Council to the Governor for consideration and subsequent appointment.

    The Governor and Visitor to the university in exercise of his duty settled for Prof. Angba.

  • Gully Erosion: Our Lives, Properties Under Serious Thread – Hon. Solomon Ika Cries Out

    Gully Erosion: Our Lives, Properties Under Serious Thread – Hon. Solomon Ika Cries Out

    By Admin

    The Honourable Councillor representing Ward 9 in Calabar Municipality, Hon. (Elder) Solomon Etim Ika has called the attention of Calabar Municipal Council and Cross River State governments to the lost of lives and valuable properties due to a deep gully erosion at Stream Road (Usung Efag) Water Board in Ikot Effanga Mkpa Clan, Ward 9, Calabar that have remain unattended to for several years and calls for urgent intervention.

    He made this known in a MOTION OF URGENT PUBLIC INTEREST before the 6th Legislative Council on Friday 30th day of October, 2020 over the imminent thread to lives and properties occasioned by the severity of the deep gully erosion at Stream Road (Usung Efak) Water Board in Ikot Effanga Mkpa Clan Ward 9 and it’s environs which falls within his constituency.

    Hon. Ika went further to tender photographs taken during his ON THE SPOT ASSESSMENT TOUR on the affected areas showing the extent of damage done by the said erosion for the house perusal.

    The lawmaker fondly referred to as the “People’s Honourable” in his prayers, urged the house to;

    √ The Legislative House rise to visit the affected areas for more clarity and insights on the matter;

    √ The Executive Chairman should as a matter of urgent public importance write a “Safe Our Soul (SOS) letter to draw the attention of our Humane / Passionate GOVERNOR, His Excellency Prof Ben Ayade to come to the rescue of the people of that area.

    The Leader thanked all the Honourable Members for their contributions and immediately set up an urgent Ad-hoc Committee, headed by the sponsor of the motion, Hon. Solomon Ika, to handle the matter. He asked the committee to visit the affected areas immediately after plenary and report same in the next legislative sitting.

    Hon. Solomon Ika used the opportunity to thank the Governor of Cross River State Senator Prof Ben Ayade for the ongoing works at the Ikot Nkebre area gully erosion sites, saying the intervention was quite commendable and sustainable.

     

  • Gov. Ben Ayade Relaxes Curfew, Extends Time To 10pm

    Gov. Ben Ayade Relaxes Curfew, Extends Time To 10pm

    By Admin

    The Cross River State Governor, Sir. Ben Ayade has again relaxed the curfew imposed on the state capital following the wanton looting and destruction of properties worth millions of naira.

    In a release sighted by The Lumine News and signed by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Publicity, Mr. Christian Ita, indicates that restriction movement is now relaxed by the hours of 6am and 10pm.

    The release reads in parts “The state governor, His Excellency Sir Ben Ayade has further relaxed the curfew imposed in the state.

    “Starting from tomorrow, Sunday, November 8, 2020, curfew will now be between the hours of 10pm and 6am.

    “Consequently, restriction of movement is now relaxed between the hours of 6am and 10pm.

    “By this development, members of the public are free to go about their businesses from 6am to 10pm”.

  • Gov Ben Ayade Presents N277.7bn 2021 Budget, Christened ‘Blush And Bliss’

    Gov Ben Ayade Presents N277.7bn 2021 Budget, Christened ‘Blush And Bliss’

    By Admin

     

    The Cross River State Governor, Prof Ben Ayade has presented Two Hundred and Seventy Seven Billion, Seven Hundred and Eight Million Naira (N 277,708,000,000) as Budget Estimates and Appropriation Bill for 2021 to the State House of Assembly.
    The Budget which he tagged budget of “Blush and Bliss” has One Hundred and Ninety Two Billion, Five Hundred and Eleven Million (N 192,511,000,000.00) representing Sixty Nine percent (69%) as recurrent expenditure while Eighty Five Billion, One Hundred and Ninety Seven Million (31%) is slated for Capital expenditure.

    The Governor stated that 2021 Budget will focus more on “the Humanitarian perspective” disclosed that 70% of the recurrent expenditure will be targeted for Youth empowerment, medical support, scholarships, immediate suspension of tuition fee for indigenous Students as well as other Humanitarian support to better the lives of Cross Riverians.

    Ayade described the Budget as unusual coming against the backdrop of several challenges including the COVID 19 pandemic and the #ENDSARS protest which hoodlums hijacked leading to wanton destruction of both public and private properties across the state. He condoled with all Cross Riverians who suffered losses during the mayhem and prayed that “may 2020 never come in the history of Nigeria”.

    Other specific areas which the 2021 Budget will address according to the Governor include; neighborhood protection to enthrone better security for citizens, extension of the NYSC period, boost in Agriculture as well as the take off of the State’s airline, CALI AIR.

    Earlier, the Speaker of the Assembly, Rt. Hon. Eteng Jonah Williams in a welcome address commended Governor Ayade for his achievements including measures put to in place to tackle the COVID 19 pandemic, efforts to address Youth restiveness as well as his Industrialization drive. “your Excellency, recent happenings are not enough to cast doubts on the giant achievements your administration has made in the State. The Industrialization programme is on course and most Industries are either already completed or above 90% completion”. he said.
    Williams promised an early passage of the budget after due legislative processes.

     

  • #EndSARS Video Led To Fr. Armon’s Arrest – Eroh

    #EndSARS Video Led To Fr. Armon’s Arrest – Eroh

    By Elijah Ugani – Calabar

    The Director of Communication of the Catholic Diocese of Ogoja, Very Rev. Fr. Emma Eroh has stated that the arrest of Rev. Fr. Titus Armon on the 29th of October, 2020, is connected with the #EndSARS video shared from his phone by his brother.

    Fr. Eroh made this known in a release he personally signed and made available to The Lumine News

    The release reads in parts “A special delegation sent by the Bishop of Ogoja diocese headed by the Vicar General Admin, Rev. Fr. Peter Abue met with officials at the Department of State Security (DSS).

    “After intense deliberation, it was observed that Fr. Armon who was arrested yesterday and released today October 30th, 2020, was connected with an #EndSARS related video allegedly shared from his phone used by his brother who was in possession of his phone and simcard. He was however released unconditionally.

    “We thank other members of the delegation, Frs. Matthew Otuji, Joe Bebia, Victor Owan, the diocesan lawyer, Marc Ename Esq.

    “To God be the glory, my experience today is an indication of how careful we should be in sharing views and stories on social media”

    Recall that the social media has been inundated with disturbing reports initially of the kidnap of the clergyman and later that he was arrested on a mistaken identity.

    Others commentators had fingered the Governor, Sen. Prof. Ben Ayade to have masterminded his arrest, alleging that Fr. Titus Armon elder brother is a critic of the Governor.

    This clarification however, settles all accusations and counter accusations as currently brandishing the media space.

  • Hon. Legor Idagbo Speech During The Factional Flag Off Of PDP Campaign Sounded Like An Anathema; Exposed His Total Disregards To The Sensibilities Of Our People – Jarigbe Agom

    Hon. Legor Idagbo Speech During The Factional Flag Off Of PDP Campaign Sounded Like An Anathema; Exposed His Total Disregards To The Sensibilities Of Our People – Jarigbe Agom

    By Admin

    The member representing Ogoja/Yala Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe, has described the speech made by his colleague, Rt. Hon. Legor Idagbo during the factional flag off of the campaign of Dr. Stephen Odey as an Anathema and a huge joke to our democracy.

    Agom took to his verified Facebook page to respond to his colleague who decided to take a swipe on other members of the PDP especially his humble self, instead of embarking on campaigns for the PDP.

    Find the complete response by Hon. Agom:

    “The Factional PDP Flag Off and the Speech by Hon Legor Idagbo:

    “The Speech that sounded like an Anathema, exposed his total disregards for the sensibilities of our people and makes a huge joke of our democracy. Legor and other gladiators chose to take a swipe at other members of PDP, especially my humble self, instead of embarking on campaigns for our Party. They did not Campaign against the opposition, but concentrated on parochial sentiments, that would not add value to the fortunes of the Party.

    “He qualified the former Governor, Donald Duke, as a TYRANT and that his approach to governance was brutish. That was not kind to the former Gov at all. He celebrated the fact that Obi Odu and Ugba Morphy were chased out of Cross River State by Donald Duke. He assumes that Governors are invincible and other people’s lives do not matter.

    “Legor Idagbo is among those who instigated the shooting and killing of our young men during the last Senate Primary Election, in Ogoja. We can clearly see that his approach is very barbaric and that’s what they mislead the Governor with.

    I want to remind you that, we are in a Democracy and I am a Parliamentarian. I am not oblivious of my rights and privileges. The right to life is one of them and I can never be intimidated by mere mortals.

    “You can have whatever positions, but do not forget that I am a Parliamentarian, that is also protected by the Constitution and the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    “I know Legor as a Christian, but he is beginning to sound like one of those basking in the euphoria of the moment and assuming the position of super humans.

    “Legor is always struggling to tell people, he is close to Gov Imoke. Who asked him? What is he struggling to correct? Conscience is an open wound and the only thing that can heal it, is the TRUTH.

    “I have never used the name of Gov Imoke to Campaign. I have nothing to say about his relationship with his Successor and I will not record Gov Imoke to play for Ayade, so Ayade can trust me. I am not a meddlesome interloper.

    “Legor and Ayade are Liyel’s political boys, just like me. I am not competing for closeness to Gov Imoke. As his
    mentee, I will rather do things that would make him proud, just like I am doing in my Constituency(without sounding immodest).

    “Legor’s Primary Election to the House of Reps in 2015 was conducted outside of his Constituency because he was not on ground with his people. It was conducted in Ogoja( my LGA) and I had to send my boys to help him. He has still not learnt his lessons. He is still looking for a Governor that will spoon feed him, like its always been.

    “Legor had described Ayade as “a bull in a China shop” and we should escort him out carefully, so he doesn’t cause so much damage. My Colleagues in the National Assembly can attest, if they want to state the truth. Today, he claims to be the most loyal because he has been promised a third term to the House of Reps. God will deliver that Federal Constituency from the hands of Oppressors.

    “He used the name of the Holy Ghost/in vain as he made his very demeaning speech, but may God forgive us. I would have thought that, our upbringing should manifest even in our politics, but its unfortunate that desperation has made us to let go, all our values.

    “The Rt Hon Legor said, he passes through Stephen Odey, to get favors from Gov Ayade. Those favors are personal because I cannot see any Infrastructure at his instance. Does that statement not indict our highly revered Governor? Legor’s attempt at laundering the Gov’s image was counter productive. As a member of Parliament, you should have unfettered access to your Gov , if you do not belong to a Conquered Generation.

    “Finally, I want to humbly appeal to Cross Riverians, especially the people of the North, to stay Civil but join this political revolution, that requires no mobilization. The facts Speak, in spite of the failed attempt at embellishment.

    “A happy Sunday to you all”.

    Rt Hon Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe( Rep of the Masses)

  • Senator Imoke Constructed Interlocking Kerbs To Safeguard Other People’s Lives, God Used His Good Work To Save His Life – Eko Atu

    Senator Imoke Constructed Interlocking Kerbs To Safeguard Other People’s Lives, God Used His Good Work To Save His Life – Eko Atu

    God rewards good works.

    I need to tell this story especially for those of us who find ourselves in position of authority, or hold one office or the other in trust for the people.

    I recall when Imoke came onboard as governor, he awarded the contract for the interlocking kerbs from the bottom hill to the summit of the Obudu ranch resort.

    This was to further secure the lives of visitors to the ranch who use their cars up the ranch. It could be recalled that so many lives have been lost on the Obudu ranch mountain road either due to break failures or other mechanical faults.

    So it became necessary to assure visitors of their safety while commuting up and down the ranch.

    H E, then Senator Ben Ayade had lost the Mum and as usual with Imoke, went to Obudu to first attend the vigil night and the church service the next day.

    We left Calabar a little late for Obudu. I drove with H E, the Deputy Governor in his car; while Senator Ndoma Egba drove with H E Imoke.

    We had a good time out with H E, then Senator Ayade who given his sociable nature ensured everybody on the convoy was well taken care of.

    We departed Obudu a little late that night to sleep over in the ranch so we could come for the church service the next day.

    For some of us who have visited the ranch especially going up the ranch at night will attest to the fact that the ranch at night becomes foggy. Midway on our journey up the ranch, H E, the deputy governor looked back in the foggy weather and said to me that he can’t sight the headlights of H E cars.

    He then asked his driver to make a U turn, but it was dangerous given that the whole place had become so foggy. We got down and started trekking back to see if we could sight the headlights of H E’s convoy.

    We had trekked for some 30min down the hill, when we sighted the headlights of the convoy. When we reached where the cars were, we realized there had been an accident involving H E. Apparently, the driver had slept off and the car was going into the ditch. The CSO who was Infront manuvoured the steering and the car came crashing on the kerbs.

    H E had a fracture on his right hand which kept him away from work for several weeks because he needed an operation.

    I just remembered that incident and I ask myself, if those kerbs were not in place; the obvious may have happened.

    So when you are in office or position of authority, build that health centre, because you may never know if the first aid you need to survive in an emergency would be provided by that facility. Build that school because the child who goes to that school, might become a medical doctor tomorrow who might save your life.

    God rewards good works, and because Senator Imoke had constructed those interlocking kerbs to safeguard other people’s lives, God used his good work to save his life.

  • Ayade Calls On Enumerators To Do Thorough Work In The National Business Sample Census As Data Collected Will Form The Basis For Intervention

    Ayade Calls On Enumerators To Do Thorough Work In The National Business Sample Census As Data Collected Will Form The Basis For Intervention

    By Elijah Ugani – Calabar

    The Cross River State Governor, Sen. Ben Ayade has called on the enumerators for the conduct of National Census of Commercial and Industrial Businesses (NCCIB) in Nigeria to undertake a thorough, detailed and comprehensive job, considering the significance of the data, which is to determine intervention by both World Bank and International Organizations.

    Ayade made the call while he declared open a three day training of 64 data collectors/enumerators to be deployed to the 18 local government areas of the state.

    The Governor was represented in the event by the Commissioner for Industries, Mr. Peter Egba, and held that “I want to use this opportunity to call on the enumerators undergoing this training to be more committed now than ever to ensure a thorough and detailed data collection during this exercise as the data collected from this survey will form the basis for intervention by both the World Bank and International Organizations.

    “This survey will not have come at a better time than now considering the number of industries this administration is building.
    It will provide both the government and private sector as well as farmers the opportunity to identify raw materials for a particular industry. The Feed Mill Industry for instance, necessarily follows that one should know that the need for the cultivation of yellow maize and soya beans is very necessary, since they will be off takers”

    Delivering the keynote address, the South South Zonal Controller of National Bureau of Statistics, Mr. Oboh Ismaila, noted that the exercise is going on simultaneously in all the 36 states of the federation including FCT. This exercise provides us the opportunity to right the wrongs currently going on in Nigeria.

    He revealed that this exercise was last held in Nigeria in 1997/1998.

    “Left for the federal government alone, this exercise will not hold, but the World Bank has facilitated this process.

    “Keynote address is to make appeal, I hereby appeal to cross river state government to take ownership of the process by providing the security needed by the enumerators to undertake a thorough and comprehensive job” he added.

    He called on the Commissioner, Local Government Affairs to step up and get the Local Government Chairmen on board to drive the process.

    He however charged the enumerators to brace up to the challenges associated with the tedious nature of the assignment. All the 18 LGAs, villages have been segmented and must be covered.

    Earlier, the Statistician General of the State, Dr. Josephat Ogar, stated that “policies are developed from challenges, we have gaps that will enable us to identify these challenges.
    We are gather here to train you to collect data that will enable us address these challenges. This exercise is to last for 50 days, kindly consider making yourself available to enter the nooks and crannies of the state to get data that will form the fulcrum of our developmental agenda.

    “Industries, Businesses and Enterprises in the state should support the census or Enterprise survey by making information available to the Enumerators that would come around to interview them.

    “This is so because Enterprises would be the first beneficiaries of the data which would inform interventions around Enterprise development and assistance.
    The exercise is not for taxation but purely for development planning and intervention”

    On his part, the state Acting Director of National Orientation Agency, Mr. Ogban Ammissine Usetu, noted that “since independence, Nigeria has struggled to tap properly and positively her human and material potentials to kick start and establish a very strong and sustainable industrial base, this can only happen when we put in place a strong, verifiable national and state records, statistics and sustainable supervision as I implore this programme to achieve.

    “The National and State Bureau of Statistics are to be commended for coming together to put records straight by the conduct of National Census of Commercial and Industrial Businesses. It will be very much advisable to give ample considerations by looking the direction of the micro, small and medium scale enterprises, as these are the bedrock of industrial growth in the economy”

    The National Census of Commercial and Industrial Businesses in Nigeria is organized by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) in collaboration with World Bank under the Fiscal Governance and Institutions Project (FGIP).

    The objectives of the census is to determine the growth of businesses, both formal and informal in Nigeria, to assist in the development of a national directory of commercial and business establishments as well as provide the country with comprehensive and detailed information about the structure of the economy.

    The training is to last between 6th – 8th October, 2020 while field work is to commence from 12th October – 3rd December, 2020.

  • Ayade Industries….Before They Shut Down – By Agba Jalingo

    Ayade Industries….Before They Shut Down – By Agba Jalingo

    By Admin

    Even with the chequered history of the Cross River state government in managing state owned companies, governor Ayade insisted from take-off that he believes government has business doing business.

    He didn’t stop there; he argued his point very explicitly, citing similar models from other parts of the world. Additionally, he has created a cluster of industries that are supposed to provide jobs for Cross Riverians and revenue to decouple the State from federal allocations, in the words of the professor governor.

    In the Ayade Industrial Park, unmistakably visible from the aircraft as you touch down Margaret Ekpo international airport, along the Goodluck Jonathan by-pass in Calabar alone, we have:

    1. Cross River state Garment Factory.

    2. Cross River State Rice Seeds And Seedlings Factory (Rice City).

    3. Cross River State Pharmaceutical Production Company (Calapharm).

    4. Cross River state Chicken Processing Plant (Calachika).

    5. Eastern Instant Noodles (CallyNoddles).

    6. The Fabrication Academy of West Africa is also located in Calabar but not in the Ayade industrial park.

    7. There is the Banana Plantation and Processing farm in Odukpani. (That one is already dead sef.)

    8. Poles, Piles and Pylon factory in Akamkpa.

    9. Ekori Toothpick Factory. I don’t know which market I have seen it, not even in government functions.

    10. Ultra Modern Cocoa Processing Factory in Ikom.

    11. Ultra Modern Rice Processing Mill in Ogoja.

    12. Roof tile Manufacturing Plant in Ogoja.

    13. Groundnut Processing Factory in Bekwara.

    But these projects are as highfaluting as they sound. Only the garment factory and the rice city have people who still resume for work with all the bottle necks and they are still paid from government purse like civil servants, while the other companies are at various levels of construction, some barely taking off, some stalled. I am not quite sure about the present state of the Ekori toothpick factory. Even the government does not patronize its own toothpick.

    The State House of Assembly has repeatedly expressed concerns about the sustainability of these companies and asked the governor to privatize them. The Speaker and the Majority Leader of the House have said in different fora that the companies were gulping more from government purse than they generate and urged the governor to privatized them. The House also passed a resolution to that effect.

    Other stakeholders have also expressed worry about the ability of the Ayade government to privatize the assets of the companies transparently owing to the lack of transparency and acquisitionist tendencies of his government.

    Also, besides the fact that these industries are over priced due to the different levels of corruption padded into the procurement processes, the shareholding and/or ownership of the Special Purpose Vehicles SPVs that were incorporated to run these companies are shrouded in ominous secrecy. Only governor Ayade, his younger brother and co-governor Franco Ayade, DG Due Process, Alphonsus Eba and Commissioner for Industry Peter Egba, seem to be abreast of those details and they are not willing to tell Cross Riverians the whole truth.

    Then, the most excruciating challenge for these companies is that the governor does not have the money and time to see his intentions through. No matter how well meaning he may be, he has put his hands in too many pies and the reality is that, he can only get enough allocation to barely pay salaries and manage to ramp a few things together before he begins his 2023 departure/survival race.

    And the possibility is that these companies will not survive after May 29, 2023, after which they will become luxury apartments for reptiles and rodents. And very painfully, the lame excuse as usual will be that “My successor failed to continue from where I stopped.”

    But right now that voices of reason are calling for a rethink, the governor will not listen. It is a familiar path. $450million was spent on developing Tinapa by Donald Duke. With all the projections and good intentions, Tinapa failed and the rest is history. Ask Ayade if he continued with Imoke’s projects and why he should expect his successor to continue with his!

    I really wish the story will change, that the graph will take a different curve, but the signs are clear that we are not, so yet again, we are on course to building another set of monuments that will stand as a painful reminder of the inability of our governor to blend, vision, passion, fantasy and reality.

    Yours sincerely,
    Citizen Agba Jalingo.

    #968DaysToGo
    #AyadeLegacy
    #ShineYourEyes
    #FollowOurMoney

     

    Disclaimer: The opinions expressed here are strictly that of Agba Jalingo and does not represent the views of The Lumine News or its staff.