By: Vitalis Ugoh, Calabar
The Cross River State governor Sen Bassey Otu has said his administration would continue with existing projects embarked upon by his predecessors in order to add value to governance in the state.
He made this remarks while answering questions during a media parley to commorate his 100 Days In Office as the Executive Governor of the state.
According to Him, “the era of this is my government is over”. This is our collective government where everyone is expected to join hands to move the state forward.
Otu reassured that the government would focus on how to get all existing projects within the state to function.
However, he said plans are under way to see the possibility of initiating a rail line from Calabar to Obudu as soon as possible.
Addressing journalists in his office, he said, “however, inspite of this enormous trust, we as the government believe strongly in participatory governance – where every citizen and resident of Cross River State is carried along in decision making and programme implementation”.
“So, the present government in power is not “my” government but “our” government.
“Accordingly, when we adopt this mind set in our day to day activities, collectively we shall have a State we will be proud of and bequeath same to the next generation, he added”.
Otu noted that the 100 days celebration is more of an administration myth than a reality. The myth is premised on the huge expectation of the citizenry for the government to deliver on its campaign promises in sprints; and the reality of it is that governance is never a sprint but a marathon. This marathon race of governance requires time-tested procedures of bottom-up planning, execution, review and completion.”
“It requires patience, discipline and focus. So, this is the approach the present administration is adopting to ensure the sustainable growth and development of our State”.
During the period under review, this administration has achieved the following milestones, Upgrade and completion of the ultra modern Calabar International Convention Centre (CICC) which hosted the recently concluded International Cooperation and Investment Summit, Completion of 1.2km concrete-paved Nyong Edem Street, Calabar South, Rehabilitation of Edet Ansa Farm Access Road and Etap Ayip Road, in Calabar Municipality, Rehabilitation of 3km Bebuasuan Rural Access Road in Obudu local government area and Rehabilitation of 3km Ketting Community Road in Obanliku local government area.
Others are, Re-modeling and renovation of the Governor’s Office Complex (ongoing), Construction of 39km Ukelle Road in Yala LGA (ongoing), Award of contract for the renovation/equipping of the State ultra-modern library complex, Calabar, Restoration and beautification of the millennium park recreational Garden, Calabar, Reconstruction of State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) and Rural Access Mobility Project (RAMP) warehouses.
Also on agriculture, the following achievements have so far been made as the present administration has attracted $15million private sector investment into the Ayip Eku Oil Palm Estate, with multiple effect on employment and growth of State GDP, Government has also developed a-6-years N30bn agricultural credit guarantee fund for rice, maize, fisheries and livestock farmers.
Also, he said government has commenced the State-wide Digital Soil Fertility Mapping. This will translate to greater yields of different crops, In partnership with the Oil Palm Growers Association of Nigeria (ORGAN), the State Government has commenced the planting of 3.5million hybrid oil palm seedlings in 13 identified locations across the State. In agric-related human capital development, the State Government has sponsored indigenes of the State to participate in cassava-bio value chain conference in Asaba-Delta State for subsequent establishment of cassava-bio fuel factory in the State, as well as workshop on sustainable oil palm economy.”
Mainwhile, 50 starter-rice growers have been given free rice seedlings, fertilizer and pesticides, while 30 starter-livestock farmers have been assisted with day old chicks, feeds etc.
Speaking on Aviation, Gov Otu, said “in order to transform the State into a transit hub and evacuation corridor, the following have been achieved.
The State Government has attracted an Irish Aviation Company to build and run an Aviation Training School in Bebi, Obanliku. The State Government will undertake the payment of full tuition fees for all the indigenes of the State enrolled in the institution, the sum of N3.7bn has been made available by the State Government for the completion of the Obudu Cargo and Passenger Airport.
This administration, had reduced a 40-ministry structure to 31 only, successfully re-structured our debt repayment so as to give room for development projects.
The State Government has fully mobilized our contingent to the forth coming National Sports Festival billed for Asaba-Delta State, adding that this mobilization is in the areas of camping, training, allowance, logistics etc.
The International Cooperation and Investment Summit had yielded good result with over $1bn financial commitment to be invested in the State by way of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), he added.
The State Governor earlier announced the following measures to alleviate the hardship caused by subsidy removal, Reduction of working days for civil servants on GL.13 and below from 5-3 days per week, From GL.14 and above who will still be expected to work for the usual 5 days a week, a monthly stipend will be added to their salaries.
“There is also provision for hardship allowance for all civil servants in the State according to grade level, Reduced transportation scheme is about to be introduced in designated routes in the State, Subsidized ticketing for all commercial vehicles operating within the State capital is in place, thereby reducing the fares by 50%, Government has also approved free antenatal care and delivery for pregnant women across the State in all state owned hospitals”.
