Peter Offem Ubi|30 May 2016|7:44am
The most dangerous man, to any government, is the man who is able to think things out for himself without regard to the prevailing superstitions and taboos. Almost inevitable he comes to the conclusion that the government he lives under is dishonest, insane and intolerable, and so, if he is romantic, he tries to change it. And even if he is not romantic personally he is apt to spread discontent among those who are. ~ H.L. Mencken.
Criticism of government stand as a watchful tower on the side of the people and their interest. However, I recognize those in government never enjoy criticism. For many think I see nothing good of the Ayade led government, contrary to their thinking, I stand only in opposition to the disrespect of Ayade’s government to the citizens -his government thinks everyone is a fool that must follow matching orders.
Though I am of the view that -he (Ayade) has taken the citizens for granted, I hold it not against him in my evaluation…truth be told, am very pragmatic about the happenings in government. I know it is not easy to govern -I just call things as I see them.
Ayade: one Year in Office –My Bipartisan Assessment.
Before going ahead, permit me to ask of you these two questions: What is the essence of government? What useful purpose does the Ayade government serve? Keeping in mind Cross River is my concern not the Federal Government for the purpose of this assessment. I ask this question not to be challenging or provocative, but hoping to find out if anyone else can think of a useful purpose Ayade government serves.
The Federal Government declared today a national public holiday to celebrate democracy day. In almost all the state, governors will be acknowledging one year anniversary in office -from the date of their inauguration on May 29th, 2015. In line with this celebration, Cross River State, under the elected administration of Senator Benedict Ayade is observing its one year anniversary into office.
The Journey Started With Loud Promises…
Senator Ayade came into office with pronouncement of high campaign promises. The state was rightfully told of two major projects which accompanied his inaugural speech at the Calabar International Convention Center. Since then, many other promises fell in line.
Ayade’s key projects were noted “The Signature Projects” which were to be his 260km construction road known as the "super high way" from Esighi in Bakassi local government in the southern Cross River to Bekwarra Local Government Area in the northern area of the state; This road however will serve as an evacuation route to his second major project -The Calabar Blue Deep Seaport.
A lot has gone down within 1 year which needs no repeating. Arguments on the sincerity of purpose was before the administration from critics and concerned Cross Riverians. Can Ayade live up to his promise and expectation many asked. Was Ayade deceiving the state considering the low federal allocations coming in -the opposition questioned. How will he fund his phantom projects? The skeptical minds didn't sleep easy; before Ayade was a doubtful audience, his media aides did all they could to sell the governor's pet projects. They told citizens of his abilities to see through his promises. Ayade was the one God has sent to liberate our people from the poverty of the mind, social hills, and the sorry state of our economic nightmare -all according to his lieutenants.
Reality Came To Ayade and His Team…
I asked earlier the essence of government, and now I say the essence of government is what makes the government what it is.
As a people, we almost never concerns ourselves with what government should be, but only with how and what it shouldn't be. The existence of government is accepted without question. It is the essence of government that meets reality after we cut through all the rhetoric, the doublethink and the smokescreen of altruism that surround the subject. In no short time, Ayade proved to Cross Riverians the essence of government is force…the belief it has all the right to initiate the use of force whenever expedient. Government is an organization with a monopoly my friends, albeit with some fringe competition.
One would be a complete fool, an unreasonable element, an unfair jurist to Cross Riverians -to dismiss what Ayade led government has been able to accomplish inspite of the many identifiable failures. One needs not subscribe to black condemnation of the state leadership, and I for one will distance myself from those who do not agree that many instances exist where Ayade has not lived up to promises made. Understandably, his youthfulness played into the hype presented to those gullible enough to believe everything he said.
Without being partisan, reality has reduced Ayade, and this as led to his considerable modest accomplishments…I have followed with kin interest the activities of the administration in the past one year. I have laid criticism were need be, but I must acknowledge commendable strides in some key areas I didn't think were possible or will see the light of day. However so, the failures of Ayade in several other critical areas cannot be left unstated.
Underestimated Gov Ayade's willpower and lobbying abilities to drive home a presidential visit was wrong headed. For a none APC to be on record as the first State visited by Mr. President, I felt flat on my argument with friends I told it wasn't possible given the realities of politics in Nigeria. An achievement it is to the governor, in addition to the fact Mr. President officially carried out the ground breaking ceremony of the super highway -a setback to wrongful assumption.
Ayade was up to something, his opposition need to know why the star's were falling in place for me. And then came the campaign videos of his insulting words to Mr. President, all hell went down from there, Ayade was out of favor with Aso-Rock, and his super highway project was in danger of losing support due to EIA non-compliance from the federal government.
Overcoming Challenges on:
Taxation
Food Security
InSecurity
Education
Health Care
Signature Projects
Jobs Creation
Ayade announced a low wage income earners policy, a move toward flexible taxation to the poor and those within a certain categories of income. Was he going to run a welfare state? A bad policy given the already indebtedness of the state finances -playing to the gullible, many bought into Ayade. Where is Ayade on taxation today? The last I noticed road workers union went on state strike for increase taxation.
The Drums on the establishment of his Food Bank project didn't go on notice, and it is on record the administration expanded the food bank program his campaign spoke so well during the campaign period. Understandably from administration point of view, all the 18 LGAs have seen some measure of this program, however, regrettably I find no evidence of such a program in Yakurr…how funny.
With a weak legislative branch that ask no questions of the administration, a branch that carries out no proper oversight functions -Ayade successfully pushed over the law makers to pass changes into some state laws. The anti-kidnapping law, Infrastructure development fund law, housing law, new cities development and water front law …all bills signed by the governor to further strengthen his forceful hold on his agenda.
What an accomplishment for Ayade to have left the state for a period of two months without properly following the handover process laid out constitutionally without been impeached upon return. Traveling 10 countries around the world -France for climate change, Germany for Super highway MoU, Switzerland, Austria, Belgium, United States of America for loans, Mexico for Banner plantation Mou, United Arab Emirates for New City development MoU, and for many other so called Foreign Direct Investments search. With all these traveling to seek investment players, the people are yet to hear from Ayade on those he was bringing to Cross River for infrastructure development, power generation facilities, banana and rice plantation developers, solid minerals, and those for education reform. In all Ayade's engagements, taxpayers suffered the cost of his claims on bringing Foreign Direct Investments in the tune of billions into the state…till day, we see no such investment money entering Cross River State for the acclaimed industrialization transformation of the state economy.
The governor established the Green Police, though lingering questions on the force structure, it's command and control component, and others, the governor nonetheless accomplished what his predecessor didn't…innovating a police structure to handle some level of state insecurity. And for seeing through the completion of the Calabar Monorail project, though inherited from the previous administration, with its commissioning expected to be carried out by Mr. President, the governor indeed needs commendation for achieving some planed agenda.
And who can forget the much publicized Calabar Garment Factory? The completion of it shows determination. Commissioning the Obudu General Hospital through his brother Frank Ayade, the 3 megawatt diesel fired Obudu Electricity Project, and the Hydro Power project in Ikom -all these are pointed achievements the governor can personally be proud off.
I was rightful told before departing Nigeria the USA that government procured 200 transformers of various sizes to light up rural communities across the 18 local government areas. While these equipment have no visible showing in public, if true, Ayade is putting his best but not good enough to win my confidence.
Now given all these considerable achievements, -Why then is Ayade’s government unwilling to show transparency of his activities? The answer is simple: Ayade lacks faith in the understanding of the people to trust him. Many questions have risen that bothers on critical public interest issues which is threatening his inability to openness and the rights of the people to know what their government is doing secretly on their behalf.
Cross Riverians saw all manners of publication questioning the true ownership of the Cross River Garment Factory Ltd -questions over state or private ownership took the administration of guard. Ayade through his chief of staff responded with rather damaging details that gave no room for the administration to dispel speculation in the public domain. Released or disclosed information by Eval Asikong on government projects called Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) never detailed to the public the benefits or explained to the satisfaction of citizens how due process was undertaken in all the government ongoing projects in the interest of the public.
Given that the governor was out spoken on promises from day, experiences of reality of governance saw a mid-year back peddling of the administration. Government conversations had taken a different turn, what began with bang of high hopes fell like a pack of cards. Cross Riverians do know what as happened to the promises of turning Bakassi into a Lugano? Yes -the commissioning of the garment factory is under way soon, lets not easily forget it failed the test of promise under the first 100 days in office. Where is the fulfillment of promise on providing 1000 jobs a month to jobless youths within the first 100 days in office? What about the hyper promise of building houses for the state civil servant? While the food bank was sold with the premise of making sure no Cross Riverian goes to bed hungry -what do we have to show as a minimum proof of the government address this promise. Children go to school hungry each day in Calabar not to speak of the totality of children acrosss the whole state.
Was there any need for the governor to constrain himself? No. There wasn't any need blotting what clearly couldn't be done within a time table not based in reality.
Today, residential owners of property's and businesses in Calabar suffer garbage stink…what happen to the Green trash bins issued? Because of failed coordination and education to proper guide citizen on the use of these bins, what we see is now is an overflowing of dirt on the streets of Calabar. This folks wasn't acceptable under Donald Duke time. What happened to the green Calabar initiative? Calabar under Ayade has made headlines on AIT news channel for the trash the city has become.
Under Ayade the insecurity as returned as stories of increase in abductions and kidnappings have return. A young lady narrated how she enter a taxi and was abducted to an unknow destination, abused and property collect from her. One only needs to see the face of this lady. There victims like her not speaking because of shame. Increase snatching of valuables doesn't speak well of the governor and the once reputed calabar known for safest and hospitality.
Obviously Ayade is a mixture of little success on issues not spoken loud about unlike his two signature projects, and he is an outrageous spoken disappointment of hyper pronouncements in 365 days in office. Most people will accept the institution of government because it has always been around; they do not question its workings, much less its right to affect their life's. For me I say, government must be questioned. It sponsors untold waste, criminality and inequality in every sphere of human life it touches, giving little or nothing in honest return. Its contributions to the commonweal are conflicts we see, pogroms, confiscations, persecutions, taxation, regulation and inflation. And we have seen this to be true of Ayade’s one year in office.
Peter Offem Ubi
Is a Social Commentator who writes from the USA
