Efio-Ita Nyok|28 September 2015|5:00am
The news that the incumbent governor of Cross River, Professor Benedict Ayade, was seen to be personally and publicly handpicking refuse in the State capital, Calabar, has gone viral especially on social media. It has generated mixed reactions among CrossRiverians and inhabitants of the State. On the one hand, His Excellency's recent act on the streets of the ancient city of Calabar is perceived to be an act of humility, an attempt to identify with the yearnings of the inhabitants of the state; on the other hand, this singular incident is perceived by his critics to be hypocritical, something that smacks of dishonest showmanship by His Excellency and an attempt to rape on our collective intelligence.
This article is intended to partake in the contention. How honest is Governor Ayade in personally handpicking refuse in the state capital, Calabar? It's no more news that the one time 'clean, green and serene' ancient city called Calabar is now a shadow of its former self! Calabar is no more clean, green and serene but rather littered with horrible stench of decomposing refuse, brown with stunted shrubs, dried grasses -a testament to a faulty green policy, and unsettled as there is general insecurity of life and properties as cultists and street urchins rave the town maiming and killing. This is the current general aesthetic/moral condition of Calabar!
However, it must be admitted that this deplorable condition of the state capital is not originally traceable to Governor Ayade but to his predecessor Liyel Imoke. It was in the later end of Governor Imoke's administration that Calabar literally stink like the heap of decomposing carcass of big games. What is more, it was in the later end of Imoke's autocracy that Skolombo was invented. These are the infamous discredits accruing to Imoke's democratic highhandedness for 8years. And this was as a result of glaring misappropriation and brazen gross embezzlement of public funds under the later. State funds were deployed for individual fancies not supported by the budget. Today, after over 100 days in office as governor, Calabar may be said to be dirtier, browner and generally unsecured than the Imoke administration. The reason that ensured such in Imoke's may not be different from realities in Ayade's incumbency. Is Ayade starching state funds for ulterior motives? Where is the 1.3 billion that C' River generate internally and monthly?
Governor Benedict Ayade contracted the cleanliness of the state capital to one Patson & Paclison. The said company failed according to Ayade but His Excellency seem to have forgotten that his refusal to pay this contractor for about six months is rendering them inefficient. Besides, CrossRiverians seem not to understand why His Excellency decided to contract out the cleanliness, 'greenliness' and serenity of the state capital to a private firm, to wit, Patson & Paclison, when such public institution like Calabar Urban Development Authority (CUDA) was handy and already had a reputation for doing that job creditably well in previous administrations like Donald Duke(1999-2004)'s and Liyel Imoke (2004-2015)'s.
The question begging for answer is: what was the motivation behind Governor Benedict Ayade refusing to offset the over-4 months salary he is owing his CUDA staff but decided to cede the job to a private institution? Did the governor think that running away from the responsibility of paying salaries to CUDA staff and deciding to owe Patson & Paclison would solve the problem? Ben Ayade we need answers!? What is the professorial wisdom in being an executive debtor to low income earners like the CUDA staff that sweep the environment of the state capital as early as 4am every day?
Now, Their Professorial Excellencies(TPE) refused to pay low income earners in CUDA to sustain the 'clean, green and serene' policy of former governor Donald Duke; they both ran to Patson & Paclison with the intrinsic inclination to still owe! But, we agree that government is a continuum. Now, not just Calabar, the state capital is wallowing in the inexplicable stench, the remaining four cities namely, Obudu, Ikom, Ugep and Ogoja are literarily smelling! It seems to us the public, that the leadership of Patson & Paclison, being a former perceived political crony of His Excellency, may have fallen off with the mouthy Excellency. Today we wake, live, and sleep in putrefying dirt!
So, what then is the wisdom in personally and publicly handpicking dirt in the state capital when Ayade could simply pay the staff/contractor designated for the job? Is it to impress the public or to express humility as it is been contended by some? The reader can decipher the truth for him-/herself by now.
Nevertheless, I wish to state in emphatic terms that Senator Professor Benedict Ayade is the foremost 'showman governor of Nigeria'(SGN)! As the SGN, virtually every thing he does as a public officer is intended to facially impress the public. From his bigger than life signature projects of super highways and deep sea port that are anti environment, to the unethical largesse spending spree of N200 million for a botched groundbreaking ceremony of the 240km super high way by President Muhammadu Buhari, to his 1000 jobs creating green police initiative which is no where only in the fathom of his mind, to his alleged 95% garment factory that is only 9% complete on black and white, his low income houses, illegal tax cuts for low income earners which he has refused to establish by sending a bill to John Gaul's CRSHA and the list continues. One could bet his life on the fact that everything emanating from Ayade's governor's office is certainly going to carry a stamp of showmanship.
Your Excellencies, to say the least, CrossRiverians are not impressed with this executive trend. We don't appreciate your executive showmanship. We need concrete action(s). That's why we voted you into power. Don't publicly handpick refuse in any of these five cities, namely, Calabar, Obudu, Ikom, Ogoja and Ugep, any longer. You can do that in your room or around your house if you so wish. Insisting on the former is a rape on our collective intelligence. Not all of us are graduates from 'your CRUTECH' for your information. We can still think efficiently. We know you very well.
On a parting note, let me advice that as you resort to employing CUDA to maintain a clean and green Calabar remember that you are owing them for months on end now. Be ready to consistently pay their salaries promptly. Also, remember to pay off Patson & Paclison what you are already owing them for about six months: it seems to my mind that, that will be 'politics with ethics'! Ensure that Calabar is clean, green and serene by paying your staff and clients as at when due and not by hypocritically handpicking dirt in public under Cross River Broadcasting Corporation(CRBC)'s digital cameras!
A word should be enough for the professoriate wise!
