U TURN: World Bank Consultant slams CRSG, his thoughts on Garment Factory is incisive (Must Read)

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Gov Ben Ayade (L), Mr Princewill Odidi (R) 
Efio-Ita Nyok|4 January 2017
After a brief end-of-year holiday visit to his home state, Cross River-born, Atlanta-based development economist, entrepreneur and World Bank consultant, Mr Princewill Odidi, has aired his reservations against the present socio-economic and socio-political climate of Cross River.
It will be recalled that on the 16 of November 2016 Odidi had explained why he hasn’t interfered in the internal affairs of the Governor of Cross River State, Mr Ben Ayade http://www.negroidhaven.org/2016/11/why-i-dont-meddle-in-internal-affairs.html?m=1  . According to him, ‘For sometime I had decided not to meddle on the internal affairs and policy thinking of the administration of Governor AYADE strictly for respect of his office, and to give him time to articulate his programs within an approachable framework’.
In a 29 December 2016 13-paragraph Facebook thread titled My Unscheduled visit to Cross River State Mr Odidi took a swipe at the political class in the state. Odidi who observed that Cross Riverians are abundantly resourceful however said that the majority of public office holders in the state lack the requisite technical capacity to contribute meaningfully towards the development of the state.
On the economy, the ace development economist opined that the economic vibrancy he saw during the Donald Duke- and Liyel Imoke-led state administration had evaporated. He particularly noted that the state which was starved of infrastructural development was basking on previous glory. His projection about Tinapa and Garment Factory was gloomy. He concluded his assessment with observing that resource distribution in the state has only benefited the political class. Excerpt:
‘As we enter 2017, it is important that above all, we place the interest of the state paramount in all our activities. The few weeks I spent in Calabar before returning to my base, I spent time studying the state, her people and lifestyle. A great people, with abundant resources yet cap in hand to survive.
‘Nite life is wonderful in Calabar, but the privileged ones are very few. The moral of the people is very low.
‘Some of our best and brightest and some who ordinarily would have constituted Capacity to help build the state have decided to stay away. We still respect their positions.
‘During my short stay, I had several meetings with most people in government, I can only say one thing: Most of them lack the requisite capacity to contribute any  meaningful and workable policy to the regime.
‘In my personal judgement, apart from some of the very smart ones I met, I wouldn’t be wrong to say the states Technical capacity is grossly bankrupt and incapable to sync into today’s 21st century development. I cannot foresee any meaningful development in the near future if all things remain as usual.
‘The economic vibrancy I saw in Duke and Imokes regime was gone. To a large extent, the State appears to operate from its past glory with no new infrastructural development.
‘I visited most government ministries, I would not shy to say I was grossly disappointed. In about 29 months from now, the current regime will reach its first term limit, I hope members of the government are ready to present their stewardship to the people.
‘Driving along the highway past MCC, you find tons of tankers littered by the road side. What will it cost the government to open a simple trailer parking lot and access toll for reimbursement on a BOT arrangements? Do we wait for a major accident along that path before we decide to do it right?
‘Sometimes on the 10th of December I got trapped on traffic coming from Uyo to calabar, because of a minor accident near Tinapa junction, the accidental vehicles where left there for over 24 hours. Imagine investors coming to cross River for the first time. What an impression. We can still do it right if we decide to.
‘To say I was impressed is gross misrepresentation of the facts. We don’t need to place politics above the economy.
‘I stopped over Tinapa and the garment factory, I see no immediate success in these projects. Although the garment factory may be successful if the state has the requisite technical capacity  and international markets to pull it through, but I doubt.
‘The state has invested heavily on resource distribution to satisfy political interest rather than mobilizing for local production capacity. We pray we do not end up with a huge political redundant burden  that maybe difficult to layoff in the future.’ Odidi concluded.
This U-turn of Princewill Odidi is to say the list surprising. Do you agree with his submissions?
Efio-Ita Nyok
Is a Blogger, the Editor & Publisher of NegroidHaven.org