Efio-Ita Nyok|2 August 2017
 |
| L-R: Mr Emmanuel Unah and Gov Ben Ayade of Cross River |
Veteran journalist, Emmanuel Unah, has made a case for an eight year tenure for Cross River State Northern Senatorial District and particularly another case against the perceived failure of incumbent Governor Ben Ayade NegroidHaven has garnered.
In a social media thread tagged ‘For those Playing the Ostrich’ the Vanguard Newspapers reporter argued summarily to the effect that the seeming achievements of former governors Donald Duke and Liyel Imoke were recorded in their second tenure as the state boss. He also noted that in the second year of their respective first tenures, the duo of Duke and Imoke achieved barely nothing. He outlined a superhighway, Garment Factory, Calapharm and Calaveras, etc as achievements of Governor Ayade. Finally he queried —’How then has the young man failed’?
His words, ‘IN 1999, Mr Donald Duke became governor of Cross River State. It may not be necessary to state here how he became governor but suffice to say that during the first four years of his government, we only heard about projects like castor seeds, cashew nuts, pineapple fruits and models towns and the like. Let anyone point to us today where those nuts and fruits and model towns are in Cross River State today and what economic , developmental and agricultural benefits they have brought to the state.
‘Projects like Tinapa, Mountain Race, Calabar Carnival and Urban Renewal programme were all started during his second term that was why he could not complete Tinapa and get it running before his exit. Tinapa was commissioned in April, 2007 few weeks to his leaving office which is why till today, the place is still comatose. Obudu Mountain Race was started in 2005, Calabar Carnival 2005. Facts and dates are available for anyone in doubt.
‘Many of us are living witnesses to the fact that his urban Renewal only ended in Calabar until there was uproar in the Central and Northern districts before it was extended there and only a few kilometre of roads were done in Ugep, Ikom and Ogoja. It was Imoke who extended it to Obudu and constructed more roads across the north and central districts.
‘Senator Imoke who succeeded him had the drive and vision for rural transformation. However, can anyone point to the roads he constructed during his first term through the Rural Urban Development Agency headed by Eko Atu ? Roads like Mbube, Abakpa, Oderegha- Ababene, Ikot Offiong Ambai and many others constructed in that era are all death traps today. The schools renovation, Rural Access Mobility Roads, electricity projects, Second Calabar Drainage, the almighty International Conference Centre, and the single rail projects were done during the second term that is why Senator Ayade had to be the one that completed the ICC and mono rail projects.
‘In just two years of Ayade, we can point to a road running across the five LGAs in the north, a superhighway, Garment Factory, Calapharm and Calavegas. How then has the young man failed. Let us be fair, let us use the past to judge the present’.
Hmmm! It’s surprising the type of arguments respected individuals are spewing out in support of the crass failure called Cross River State Government under Sen. Prof. Ben Ayade! To begin with, who owns the GF, is CalaPharm registered by CAC? And in whose name? Which superhighway are we talking about here —the one that the professor of Environment can’t superintend over a well-scripted EIA? By, ‘CalaVegas’ what does both Messrs Ayade and Unah imply? Could there be any city without security? The existing cities of Calabar, Obudu, Ikom, Akamkpa and Ugep how have they being improved upon?
I have observed that earlier we were all united in condemning the executive failure in the present state administration, two years in view of a general election, our language, both without and within Nigeria is changing. We are now eating our vomits! Cross River nay Nigeria I hail thee!
Efio-Ita Nyok
Is a Blogger, the Editor & Publisher of NegroidHaven
