₦airaland Forum

2019: Why Ayade Must Be Stopped In His Tracks By Linus Obogo.
http://www.newsvanguard.com/2018/09/10/2019-why-ayade-must-be-stopped-in-his-tracks/

Owan Enoh Tribal Insult: Apologise To The Efiks Or Be Banished From Southern Cross River
Read more at...
http://www.newsvanguard.com/2018/09/06/owan-enoh-tribal-insult-apologise-to-the-efiks-or-be-banned-from-entering-southern-cross-river/

Ayade more visionary than most African leaders - UNDP


The United Nations Developed Project (UNDP) has hailed Cross River State Governor, Senator Ben Ayade's style of leadership which it described as development-driven through the use of technology and innovation with a vision that transcends governance.

The UNDP Country Director, Mr. Samuel Bwalya stated this in Calabar during a courtesy visit on the governor in his office where he also sued for improved areas of partnership beyond the United Nation's Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation (UN - REDD) program.

Bwalya who said that he has been a follower of happenings in the state stressed that there was need to have “a broad vision to drive the transformation of any state in any country,” which according to him has been exemplified in the state as, “Cross River State is far ahead of African countries in terms of broad vision, and your vision is very bold.

"There is a lot of transformation and whenever I talk about transformation, we are talking about technology, and about the means of moving the economy forward. The use of technology and innovation to drive development is what we have seen in Cross River State and why Cross River State is succeeding in that direction which we have come to add value to what you are doing to enable you succeed the more. 

“What you are currently doing is what we are implementing in Ethiopia and we are making effort to invite the Nigerian government over to (Ethiopia) to understudy what they are doing but I can tell you, Cross River is already far ahead,” Bwalya said, adding that “your policies transcend the borders of politics.” 

Furthermore, he averred: “Cross River State is already succeeding in the area of industrialization which is extremely important to development, for poverty reduction and the creation of job opportunities.” 

On Governor Ayade’s leadership role, he said: “We have seen your leadership role from when you were a senator but most importantly, your leadership and global role in terms of championing environmental sustainability of Nigeria.” 

The Country Director said that the UN agency is ready to step up its partnership with the state from only the UN-REDD+ program to include the promotion of sustainable development, inclusive governance and growth that is beneficial to the poorest of the poor, agriculture and job creation.

Bwalya who also disclosed that the UNDP was already working with the Lagos State government in the training of youths to improve their employability and entrepreneurship averred that “if Cross River State moves forward, other states will move forward.” 

To ensure this, he pledged the agency’s readiness to support governance and democratic institutions for peace building in line with the state’s goals.

In his remarks, Ayade commended Mr. Bwalya's bold moves in exploiting the core mandate of the UNDP which is in forest management, and expanding it to include areas that will directly impact on the people; a philosophy, which he said was lacking in Africa.

The governor said that when zeroed down, doing business with environmental sustainability needs dealing with governance and sustainability; issues the governor said were captured in the UNDP thematic areas and captured in the signature projects of the state.

Ayade who said the most important was inclusiveness, as the UNDP’s primary purpose is to take those below the poverty line and giving them a source of livelihood, disclosed that more than 80 percent of Cross Riverians reside in the forests but cannot benefit from the resources available to them due to a ban imposed by the state in line with UNDP regulations.

He sued for a review in the implementation strategies of funds and grants which he said usually end up being spent in the board room and logistics in order to promote inclusiveness, which alongside the happiness of the people and sustainability, are the key indices for measuring a government’s performance.

"The real development which is what United Nations has said today is the people. The indices for measurement of the performance of government are the happiness of the people; it is the sustainability, the inclusiveness of your policies and programs, otherwise you would have failed. And any program that is not people-centered has failed,” he said.

He continued: "In Cross River, we have placed an absolute ban on deforestation and 80 percent of our citizens are forest dependent… they live in those forests but we have dislocated them from their dependence on those forest resources without providing for an equilibrating calculum for them to be able to sustain their growth and survival.

"So, the issue of inclusiveness becomes a serious one. How can you therefore deny somebody the luxury of benefitting from the natural resources abound to the person yet not providing an adequate bypass mechanism for survivability? Therefore, his children, his social dynamics and anthropology gets completely disjointed. You create a social distortion in society and now you have new wave of youth criminality, youth misadventure and you don't know that it has a link to the poverty you have orchestrated on the family.

“So United Nations, focusing on these three thematic areas particularly in sluggish and development economy like Nigeria gives you a clear understanding of the concept of UNDP,” Ayade said.

According to the governor, when accentuated, the signature projects encapsulate all Mr. Bwalya had said because, “if you look at institutional governance, Cross River State needs support to be able to build the superhighway which creates 65,000 jobs during construction and because it is a tolled road, it creates permanent jobs, creates new apertures for new businesses like motels, restaurants and fuel stations to exist along the corridors of the superhighway.

"It creates ambulatory services and provides steady 25,000 jobs because it is a superhighway fully digital and requires sustainable maintenance. Looking at it from the point of inclusive growth, it then means that there is an adequate provision in this super project of ours, our major signature projects to create temporary and permanent jobs.”

While soliciting the agency’s partnership in the signature projects, Ayade expressed optimism that despite the basic objective seemingly far from the concept of the projects, they fit into the UNDP’s thematic areas especially as the reforestation and jobs to be created form part of inclusiveness and sustainability, core areas the United Nations prioritizes. Ayade equally announced the donation of a building to house the UNDP office in the state.

Ayade impressed by huge turn out and peaceful conduct in Obudu bye election as he cast his vote.

As Catholic youths across the country converge on the city of Calabar for the 2018 National Youth day, Cross River State governor, Prof Ben Ayade, has charged them to play a greater role in the politics of the country ahead of the 2019 general elections. 

Speaking Wednesday, at St. Patrick's Catholic Parish, Ikot Ansa, Calabar, venue of the programme, the governor charged youths of the 36 states of the federation including Abuja to engage only in activities that are not only godly but truly just in all spheres of life.

"Don't allow any politician to arm you to do that which is unjust because all of us politicians keep our children at home and go back and use you in the field to do what is unjust. Shame the devil and I want to say it on record, if you look at the history of my government so far, there has been no political killing or thuggery because I am a Catholic and I know what the Bible teaches us," Ayade said.

The governor who went biblical in his speech maintained that "I know the theory and philosophy of reverse vengeance as the Bible teaches us clearly that when a man comes against you, show him love, when he shows you hatred, show him love because only love can drive out hatred." 

He added that it was to this end that in his three years of administration, there have been no record of political killing or anybody being hunted down, just as no one found fighting government has been taken to prison, intimating that, "if we Catholics continue to work hard and take fine positions in government, we will reduce the level of killings in our land."

The governor who enjoined the youths to adhere to the theme of the event by being strong and never be afraid of doing what is right before God and humanity said: "Make sure you go out there and get your voters cards, be strong in government, penetrate every aspect of governance so that we can bring our ecclesiastical attitude and conduct to in high places in government."

He explained that youths must come together armed with the teachings of the Bible and Church to do only that which is good for God, pointing out that, "at the fullness of time we shall account for our deeds and living experiences on earth."

 Continuing, Ayade cautioned the youths to see themselves as the weapon, engine and instrumentality that will shun everything negative in their life, adding that, "when you come with your excess energy of the youth, please thread it with the understanding of the Bible because if you are not a child of God and you are elevated to a high place, the tendency is that you will abuse that office."

The governor who reminded youths that only fools rise to high positions and allow the power of the office swallow them, however, charged them as children of God, to give a listening ear to the downtrodden, be simple, exhibit humility and show lots of restrain in spite of the humongous capacity of the office they seek.

Reasoning that evangelism has dropped among Catholics, Ayade who is the first Catholic governor of Cross River remarked that "we must return to that faith and never allow the church to die. We must expand and take back what God has designed for us, we must be strong in the faith and teachings of Catholicism."

 The governor who wondered why the Catholic Church which has the greatest celebration of Mass through the Holy Eucharist with an embodiment of its rich aura and liturgy of the faith could still witness the exodus of worshippers from the Church to others, enjoined the priests to arrange a retreat and a return to Catholicism for those who left out of ignorance. 

According to him, "we must keep the Catholic doctrines, we cannot afford to adulterate our worship or take the church for granted, but maintain the Church as a solemn communion with God."

Putting Cross River on global Cocoa Processing league through Ayade's Intellectual Money 


In line with several of his campaign pronouncements in the run up to the 2015 governorship election, Governor Ben Ayade has spared no effort in crystallizing his dreams, turning his industrialization vision into reality.  

From the creeks of Bakassi, through the rainforest of Akamkpa and down to the hills and mountains of Obudu, Ayade has redefined governance through his tsunami of industrial revolution. 

Addressing a gathering of elders, council of traditional rulers, farmers and youths of Ikom back in 2015, while on a campaign train, Ayade had in an impassioned tone provoked tears from his attentive audience when he swore before them to alter their fortunes positively,  as a cocoa producing zone,  if only they could entrust him with their votes.

 Barely three years after extracting that trust, and with the attendant promise of establishing a cocoa processing plant to create a value chain for cocoa production, it could be said with all boldness and certitude that Governor Ben Ayade has indeed delivered on his promise.

Using the Intellectual capital model or better still, what the governor himself has rechristened 'intellectual money', which is based on an OPM (Other People's Money), Ayade has been on windfall of industrialization across the state. 

At a recent inspection visit to the cocoa processing plant nearing completion at Ikom, Central Senatorial District, a multi-billionaire naira plant, stands a howling justification of what is now native to the people as Governor Ayade’s  theory of intellectual money. 

The establishment of a coca processing mill by Ayade is no doubt a jinx breaker as well as the achievement of what hitherto was thought to be improbable in this part of the world.

With Cross River Cocoa adjudged as one of the finest in terms of quality in Nigeria, there was no other way to bring value addition to cocoa production in the state than Governor Ayade’s effort to establish a multi-billion naira cocoa processing in Ikom. 

The Ikom cocoa project, when commissioned,  will launch Cross River into the global cocoa hub in the world. 

Ayade says his intention is to revive cocoa as the main stay of the economy of the people of the senatorial district in particular and Cross River in general. 

Essentially, cocoa farming has been money a spinner to the people of the senatorial district in the past.   

Having again put a marker down, Ayade has clearly demonstrated that intellect can be used to fill the gap where physical money is unavailable. This principle is tailor made for Cross River considering the rapid economic and infrastructural development of the state under him in the last three years. 

For a cash strapped economy like Cross River State, coupled with a near zero allocations from the federation account, without intellectual money, building the calibre of industries and infrastructural projects the governor has accomplished in the last three years would have been a near impossibility or a mere wishful thinking. 

However, through the application of intellect, that which would have been impossible to achieve in Cross River has been achieved effortlessly by Professor Ayade.

Impressed by the level of work at the cocoa processing plant, Ayade praised contractors handling the project and expressed optimism that the plant would be ready soon for production. 

“I am very impressed; knowing the enormity of work done, I'm really impressed. From what I have seen, the contractors deserve excellent pats on the back. This is what we call commitment and consistency.

I just want to tell a very short story, this is a story of a very great ambition ruling by motion without logic, no money but intellectual money, that is what I applied here”

The Ikom cocoa processing plant will process 30,000 tonnes of cocoa per annum. With the plant, Ayade has scored another first after establishing Africa’s first automated rice Seeds and seedling factory.

The plant is the first of its kind in Africa that will process cocoa beans to chocolate.

For  a governor who  is focused on industrializing his state, the  plant holds a lot of economic and employment future for the people of the state in line with Professor Ayade’s determination to decouple the state’s economy from over dependence on federal allocations. 

Ayade: 

“This is the spirit of intellectual money and Cross River ultimately will be proud that I knew where I was going from the beginning. I am following an agenda that at the end of my eight years in office, when every single citizen of the state remembers my days, he or she will say this young man had a great vision.

"For all the years gone by Cross River has been producing cocoa for other states to bear the name because we did not have an off-take mechanism, we did not have a programme by government to buy off the cocoa at good rates. So, outsiders used to come in and buy the cocoa from us and grade it as cocoa from their own state.”

The plant, which will soon be operational, offers cocoa farmers in the state the opportunity, platform and industry to process their own cocoa, giving a premium value for money. 

"A cocoa house is going to be built so that once anyone owns a cocoa farm, all they need to do is just go to the cocoa house, collect money during harvest and the government will take their cocoa.With this arrangement, cocoa farmers in the state will have   money for their product and  don't have to go to bank to get a loan."

In his quest to bequeath an ultra modern Ikom cocoa processing plant to Cross River, Ayade’s government has had to turn to Germany and Switzerland for the latest technology in cocoa processing.

Christian Ita is chief press secretary to Governor Ben Ayade.

Politicians are incurable optimists.

In furtherance of his committment of decoupling cross river from dependence on federal allocation and also keeping to the promise of one factory per local government, "paradise toothpick" a product of the Ekori tooth pick factory hits the market.

Governor Ben Ayade is committed to the industrialization of cross river whilst creating jobs for our teeming youths..

Ayade a committed PDP member  -aide


The attention of the office of Governor of Cross River State, Professor Ben Ayade has been drawn to an orchestrated and sponsored protest today at the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja wherein urchins were hired to stage a protest demanding the governor be refused admission into the All Progressives Congress, APC.


For one, it is laughable as it is ludicrous that the same characters who were only able to muster five street urchins and paid them N1,000 each to protest against Professor Ayade last week this time around resorted to bare-faced lies about his purported moves to join the APC.

The characters have also been feeding social media platforms with a statement purportedly made by Professor Ayade slamming federal legislators who recently defected from the APC to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, as enemies of Nigeria

These are desperate times and therefore it is not surprising to see this kind of cheap resort to cause distraction in the polity. 

For emphasis, Governor Ayade has never and will never contemplate leaving the PDP for APC.

The governor has at every fora restated his loyalty and membership of the PDP. Upon his well celebrated return to Calabar last week after two weeks vacation abroad, he again unequivocally proclaimed PDP as his party while addressing thousands of party supporters.


Last Friday, Ayade was at the empowerment programme of a PDP Senator, Rose Oko, in company of his predecessor, Liyel Imoke.

For three years now, Ayade's purported interest in APC has been a constant refrain and engagement of fifth columnists bent on embarrassing him.

Evidently,  certain interests are not comfortable with Ayade's special relationship with President Muhammadu Buhari and construe same to mean possible defection to the APC.

But the governor has time and again explained that  his relationship with the President is defined by governance and not politics.

Governor Ayade is a loyal party man, he therefore remains a committed member of the party assiduously working towards the victory of the party in 2019. 

Just as they have failed repeatedly in their febrile effort to cause distraction and undermine Governor Ayade's commitment to delivering democratic dividends to the people, they have failed yet again to pitch him against his beloved party, the PDP.  


Christian Ita

Chief Press Secretary

Ayade is BusinessDay Best Governor in Agriculture



Cross River State Governor, Professor Ben Ayade has won BusinessDay Newspaper Award for the Best Performing Governor in Agriculture.


The Newspaper said the award was in recognition of Professor Ayade's revolutionary strides in Agriculture.

Only recently, President Muhammadu Buhari was in Calabar, the Cross River state capital ,to commission Africa's first and only Rice seeds and Seedling Factory.

The factory is one of professor Ayade's signature agricultural projects.


At the commissioning, President Buhari commended the governor for keying into the economic diversification policy of his administration by investing heavily in agriculture, discribing him as a reference point in agricultural revolution.


Professor Ayade who has often spoken of his determination to decouple Cross River State from over dependence on oil- driven federal allocation through diversification of the state's economy, is also building an ultramodern rice mill in Ogoja, a 30000 per anum cocoa processing plant in Ikom.


He has also established a cotton farm in Woda, Yala,  Banana Plantation in Odukpani. Work has also commenced on the Calabar ultra mordern poultry farm and  yellow maize farm in Obubra  among others.

The Business Day Award which will be confered on the governor on Thursday, July 19, 2018 at the prestigious Transcorp Hilton, Abuja, is the latest in a string of awards that have been confered on Professor Ayade in recognition of his achievements since assuming office three years ago.


He had previously won the Vanguard Newspaper Governor of The Year Award, Authourity Newspaper Governor of The Year Award, Tell Magazine Man of The Year Award and The Most Labour Friendly Governor Award from the organised Labour.

Ayade and the Fury of Nay Sayers


By Etim Bassey


In this clime, election time is boom time for hired guns, political mercenaries and hack writers. 2019, Nigeria's next election year, is at the door and Cross River State is already on the throes of the characters mentioned above.

The likes of Venatus Ikem and Philemon Ogbeche who recently authoured a sickening misinformation on Ayade are pathetic footnotes.

They are on the prowl and their prime target is Governor Ben Ayade. On their lips as a refrain is the fatally flawed narrative of how undeserving Ayade is for a second term in office. And to think that this is a governor who enjoys massive support among the broad spectrum of ordinary Cross Riverians on account of his verifiable people oriented projects spread across the state beats the imagination.

It is only in the realm of the blind that Governor Ayade is a non performer. The people of Cross River do not share this warped and myopic sentiment.

Of course, if those whose Ayade's sure second term in office causes incurable nightmare are blind to his unfailing committement in paying workers salaries before month end, workers of Cross River State civil service are not. It is on the account of his prompt payment of workers salaries that the workers themselves have nicknamed him "Salary Master," and openly endorsed him for a second term in office. The workers are Ayade's number one fans and do not tolerate any idle tale of non performance.

No amount of lies, coloured and veiled insults directed at Ayade will erase this.

Also, if the clan of the clueless opposition in Cross River who in any case is in the pitiable minority suffer from selective amnesia, the people of Cross River do not.They see Ayade's projects and are ecstatic because they know their governor is focused on re-engineering their beloved state .

Of course, they know that the Calabar Rice Seeds and Seedlings Factory, the Cross River Garment Factory, the Cross River Pharmaceutical Factory, the Ogoja ultra modern ricr mill and the cocoa processing plant in Ikom- all initiatives of Ayade- are geared towards changing the economic narrative of Cross River.

Unlike the political hirelings, the people of Cross River clearly see Ayade's unmatchable intervention in road infrastructure across the state, including the Boki East-West road. They are equally not unaware of the unprecendented re-invention of Cross River's health and education sectors by Ayade just within three years in office.

For sure, these hatchet men are what the Igbos call "otimkpu" or less dangerous masquerades who act as cheer leaders to big and much more dangerous masquerades and whose praise singing heralds the appearance of the big masquerades.

 A Yoruba adage cautions that if you are sent on an errand as a slave, you should not deliver the message as a slave but as a free born. So, that these hired guns and political mercenaries have elected to deliver their shallow and uninspiring  message as slaves ruffles nobody's feathers.

Upper most on the minds of Cross River people right now is the return of their governor in 2019 to continue his re- creation of the state.

They have made up their minds on this and are therefore, immune from deliberate, wicked, partisan and pernicious propaganda.

It is laughable yet tragic that a writer, for the sake of satisfying a narrow and skewed partisan interest would descend low, and into banality to conclusively credit an educated and urbane personality as Governor Ayade with primitive supernatural powers- an ability to hold about four million cross Riverians spellbound "by the virtue of his famed Obudu black pot inherited from his late mother" !This was exactly how Philemon Ogbeche put it in his recent highly jaundiced piece.

Though 21st century has left Ogbeche and people like him behind, one can not but agree with him that the over  4 million people of Cross River State are indeed held spellbound  by governor Ayade but with purposeful leadership and good governance.

It is pertinent to remind Philemon that no diabolical juju, the type his mind's creation can hold over 4 million people spellbound.

It is doubtful if he recognizes libel when he sees one,  otherwise Philemon, I am sure, he would not have toyed with libel in his piece. In any case, it is up to the media houses  and individuals concerned to decide his fate.This is not therefore holding brief for Editors of the Nation, Vanguard and ThisDay newspapers but it behoves on Philemon to come to the table with verifiable, incontrovertible evidence  of the "August gifts"  by Ayade to the editors which he talked about in his diatribe.

Evidently, the locale of Philemon and his conclave of Ayade traducers' angst against  the editors and newspaper houses lies in their decision not to debase the tenets of journalism by  baking half truths and outright lies against governor Ayade's administration as peddled by people like Philemon.

The feeble opposition in Cross River is not only confused but clueless. It is therefore, no surprise that they make sweeping condemnation of Ayade, not even crediting him with any single achievement when evidence on the ground says otherwise.

It is equally ridiculous that the visit of President Muhammadu Buhari to commission the Calabar Rice Seedlings Factory is the trigger of the current media assult on Ayade.

Perhaps, they had hoped the President would shun Ayade and spurn the invitation. Had this happened, they would have gleefuly rolled out the drums to celebrate Buhari's refusal to commision the project. But that President Buhari not only came but heaped effusive praises on the governor for his superlative achievements is now a source of high blood pressure to them.

However, let it be made clear here that latching onto the mundane, inanities, bareface lies and propaganda to hurled at Ayade will not sway Cross River people from their resolve to return their performing governor to office in 2019. So, the frustrated few who sit on rooftops to trumpet anti second term lyrics should be prepared for worse nightmares and devastating high blood pressure!

He left calabar for plateau today. Dude has realised this herdmen issue if not tackled will bury his already dwindling chances of winning next yr.

Livescenes from Maragaret Ekpo international airport calabar as cross river awaits arrival of president buhari. #PMBinCalabar

Maybe because southerners are civilized in their way of doing things? Besides he is coming on a working visit not a campaign

Garment factory performing absolutely well. Govt just procured 2buses for the staff to pick and drop them each day..

You wont regret it.

Magnificent night view of the Ayade industrial park, a park that is home to the rice seedling centre, the ultra modern garment factory and the calapharm amongst others.

Those look like bricks to me. BMC should do better than this.

Pictures dont lie bro.

Isn't this a beauty to behold in rice farming? Yes! It's the Ayade Magic. This is the Rice seedling nursery at the Rice City, Ayade Industrial Park in Calabar. Everything here is automated. Why wouldn't everyone embrace agriculture? The style of cultivation now comes in a digital way with verve, panache, elegance, class, style, even our ladies with long finger nails can't resist embracing this beautiful style of farming. Interestingly, this is a very high yield vitaminized rice seedling. We can say Weldon to Governor Ben Ayade. This transformation is not just Cross River but Nigeria. #nottooyoungtofarm

Ayade Expresses Delight Over Quality of Work Ongoing at British/Canadian School

Watch on CRS TV Online: http://www.crossriverstate.tv/ayade-expresses-delight-over-quality-of-work-ongoing-at-british-canadian-school/

Ayade, epitome of good governace-Atiku 


Former Vice President and presidential aspirant of the People's Democratic Party(PDP), Alhaji Abubakar Atiku, has described Cross River State Governor, Prof Ben Ayade as an epitome of good governance.

Atiku stated this, Monday, at the state executive council chambers, Calabar when he led his team including former governors of Ogun and Imo states, Otunba Gbenga Daniel and Chief Achike Udenwa respectively on a courtesy visit to Governor Ayade.

He commending the governor for being broad-minded in his approach to governance, which has ensured peace and tranquility in this state.


According to him, "Your inclusiveness of governance has led to a number of achievements which are not only known in Cross River but the whole country.

"There are very few states that are actually very regular and prompt in payment of salaries like this state. Honestly, we tend to praise and commend Cross River for paying as at when due. This achievement has resonated all over the country and you are seen as an example of good governance."

Atiku noted that in spite of the lean resources of the state, the governor, through application of intellect, is rapidly industrialising the state, thus creating thousands of jobs for the teeming unemployed youths.


He listed industries build by the Ayade-led administration to include the Cross River Garment Factory, the Calendar Pharmaceutical company, the rice seeds and seedlings centre, the banana plantation, rice mill, and cocoa processing plant in Ikom.


While describing the governor's decision to built a superhighway and a deep seaport as remarkable, he assured of the Federal Government's support in ensuring the state achieves its dreams. 

"I am not living here but we get news of all these because if you goggle Cross River and Ben Ayade, you will see all these. This is technology and it is digital. Your achievement like the rice seedling centre, which is undergoing a test run now, and is a major development in the agricultural sector and will employ a large number of unemployed youths. You are indeed a talk and do governor."

Disclosing his intention to run a lean federal government through his restructuring agenda if voted as the President, Atiku assured that, "if you give me your support you can expect more than what you have given me," adding, "I can assure you that because of your impact in my life you will continue to receive my priority in the sense that you will always have federal support to ensure that you continue to achieve whatever you want to achieve in this state."

Responding, Ayade maintained that the state is rich in both mineral and hydrocarbons but lamented a situation where the mineral resources cannot be explored without the approval of the federal government.


He therefore, expressed happiness that restructuring is part Atiku's agenda, stating that "we will like to see a federal government that will respond to our yearnings and create that platform that will allow us exploit our wealth and create a new hope for our people."

Ayade who disclosed that the state has found huge oil deposits in its offshore locations without licences to exploit them,  questioned, "to what extent would the federal government continue to hold and sequester everything that belong to the nation to herself?"

On Atiku's presidential ambition, Ayade said: "As an aspirant of the PDP and 

somebody who has been a Vice president, I believe that the experiential calculus shows clearly that you are capable, competent and qualified to aspire for the position of president."

Highpoint of the visit was the presentation of a book titled, "Restructuring as a pathway to unity and development in Nigeria," by the presidential aspirant to the Governor.

Senate Minority leader, Senator Godswill Akpabio has Governor Ben Ayade for his Industrialization strides and prompt payment of salaries in the state.

" I am amazed that with the lean resources, the state has made giant strides towards industrialization". He added that a winning team should not be changed stressing that Cross Riverians should endorse Ayade for 2019.

Work commences at Cross River's ultramodern haulage city


In its resolve to decongest Calabar metropolis while ensuring that the roads remain safe for users, the Cross River Government has commenced the building of a haulage city.

Designed to accommodate 8000 trucks daily, the city will also have a police station, a bank, hotel, restaurant as well as a sophisticated tracking and marking system with cortex-like plastic linings.

The state governor, Prof Ben Ayade while inspecting ongoing works at the site said the idea of building the haulage city became imperative as "Calabar plays host to 19 active tank farms creating an aggregate of 7000 trucks a day and when you look at that in synergism with what we experience with the quarries, the flour mill, ports and the cement factory, then we have up to 8000 trucks a day."

Ayade remarked that the scenario was creating a very huge embarrassment to the state and indeed Calabar, adding that, "to be able to contend with the social miasma that is associated with the trucks, it became evident that we needed to create a haulage city."

The governor argued that most accidents involving trucks have to do with lack of proper sleep by truck drivers, a challenge that the haulage with that the haulage city is meant to address.

"In the haulage city, there will be a proper bed, air conditioned rooms at a considerate price, so you can sleep properly and wake like a human being in the morning while avoiding mobile accidents that would have occurred," he stated.

He also disclosed that the haulage city which has a unique design will be fully digitalised with  ICT-based communication and more importantly providing service maintenance, lubrication as well as other support services.

On whether the project is public private partnership, Ayade said: "Cross River State Government is not putting in a dime. Third Atlantic which is the concessionaire is to build, operate and transfer. Their responsibilities, apart from the paving, is to build the utilities and other amenities as well as ensuring that the traffic congestion on the Calabar road is well managed."

Continuing, the governor explained that the company will ensure safety and safe trafficking, run the project profitably, declare profit and give a percentage to government, adding that, "we are at the luxury of the financial experience, wealth and exposure they are coming with from out of United Kingdom, a Nigerian company with an office out of UK, bringing in those technical partners and having most of their expatriates assisting in the design to ensure that we don't have drainage and flooding problems."

Earlier, Managing Director of Third Atlantic, the company handling the project, Kelvin Orogun, disclosed that the design will fit into the state vision of having a very modern city, pointing out that the facility will be 21st century compliant and the park parved with toilet facility as well as everything expected of a modern park.

Orogun said the project is being done in phases, adding that, "in the first phase we are using about 100 out of the 250 hectares we have here and this will probably take thousands of trucks in a place that will be well managed and controlled with adequate security."

Ayade: Why I'm building industries all over Cross River


Cross River governor, Prof Ben Ayade, Thursday, gave reasons why his focus is on the establishment of industries all over the state rather than embarking on other ventures that have less value to the development of the citizenry.

 Ayade who was speaking at the Cross River Rice city situated at the Ayade Industrial Park in Calabar, venue for the Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN)/ CBN/Cross River inauguration program said, the idea was to create jobs.

 "I know what I am doing when I made a choice to go into industrialization. I can build a road from here to Ougadugu, it would not create jobs, but when you build a factory it creates jobs," he said, and asked rhetorically, "why are you a governor when your people go to bed hungry?"

Ayade listed some of the industries undertaken by his administration to include a cosmetic factory, the Cross River Garment Factory, the Calendar Pharmaceutical Factory, the rice seed and seedlings factory, a 30000 tonnes per anum cocoa processing plant, and the ultramodern rice milk in Ogoja.


According to him, "these factories have been built in just under three years in a state where we get near zero allocation from the federation account, a state that is the first to pay salaries ever since I came into office in spite of the fact that I have brought thousands of people into the pay roll through appointments."

The governor maintained that he had to do all these not because he has so much as the state has the lowest allocation in the country, but because he cares enough, intimating that, his spirit and commitment to the citizenry stands above every other consideration.

 Continuing, the governor reasoned that "when you put smiles on human beings, when you see somebody come to you in pain and you take away that pain or burden, that is when you are truly serving God. The Bible is clear on this as you can not fail to give because you don't have enough."

 Ayade who spoke amidst cheers from the farmers gathered at the event remarked that, "anybody who has never believed in farming, this is the time to believe. It is the future, it takes the federal government N460 billion and additional N60 billion in the month of December to import rice. Cross River is ready to harvest a whole chunk of that money as we are producing seedlings in this big factory and from our N1.3 trillion budget, we know for sure that the minimum of N100 billion of that money will come from this factory."

On the federal government's decision to support about 25 thousand rice farmers in the state with N10.8 billion, the governor said: "We appreciate the gesture but what we will appreciate more is when our farmers don't have to till or toil under the sun. Let them have the opportunity to use the latest technology in farming and not put them through the mercy of rainfall to be able to have their yield and harvest. Let them not toil in vain because by the time they harvest, there will be nobody to buy off the crops from them."

  To CrossRiverians, Ayade charged them to, "rise above the physical reality of the cash but focus more on what will bring value and sense of progress. Let us be committed to the fact that you cannot go back to the farm as our parents did as I will like to see our young men go to farm in their cars, drive their tilling machines and tractors and get a harvester to harvest the products."

Speaking earlier, the National deputy President of Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN), Segun Atoh applauded Ayade for embarking on agricultural ventures that will boost food sufficiency for self reliance.

He said Cross River was blessed with "a good governor in Ayade. He is truly a leader because a leader is one who knows the way, goes the way and shows the way. Rice farming in Nigeria is the largest employer of labour in the country," and urged the people of the state to avail themselves of the "opportunity created by the governor to key into the program."

Ayade mobilizes contractors for noodles, feed mills, tooth pick factories 


As work at the Ayade Industrial Park nears completion, the governor, Senator Ben Ayade has mobilized contractors for the state proposed noodles, feed mills and tooth pick plants. The noodles manufacturing plant will be located at the industrial park. 

Speaking to newsmen at the site of the noodles factory, Commissioner for Commerce trade and Industry, Mr. Peter Egba, said: "The idea of noodles production came as a result of the federal government's school feeding program. It is one of the items people, especially children consume. So the idea is to capture that segment of the market and then extend it to our neighbors like Cameroon and Equitorial Guinea. Our market research shows noodles sell well in these countries and also because of our proximity to them, it is believed that it will be good  if such a factory is established here as they will definitely come to to patronise  us." 

On the state of readiness for the take off the plant, Egba hinted: "Right now as we speak, the machines are ready and in two weeks,  we would be starting the constructions work. The reason we needed to ensure the machines were ready was because they had to be fabricated outside the country and that is why we started with that process first. The next phase is the civil engineering which is the actual construction phase proper. The machines are already paid for and fabrication work completed."

According to the Commissioner,  "We have completed one hundred percent of the equipments procurement needed to run the noodles factory here in this industrial park. The payment has been made and we believe that by the time they are shipped into the country, we should have gone far with the construction."

On the capacity for the noodles plant, Egba disclosed: "We are looking at 50,000 metric tons per annum because we have received a lot of interests from patrons. 50,000 metric ton per annum is the capacity we intend to channel into the market." 

On the completion deadline for the plant, the Commerce Commissioner further hinted that "Counting from when the machines were ordered to the stage we are now which is the construction of the factory proper, we are looking at a maximum of three months to be done with the construction."

Other equipment the state government has also made payment for,  according to Egba, is the vibrated electric pole manufacturing plant, which he said will be established in Akamkpa.  

"We want to take advantage of the quarry dust in Akampa to customise electric poles because most of the electric poles we use in Cross River State are gotten from Kogi  and Benue States,  so that is why the state government is using their initiative since we have the quarry dust in abundance we should be able to leverage on them."

Continuing, he disclosed: "We have also paid for and expecting the delivery of poultry and feed mill machine which is going to be located at Obubura.  We are expecting them to arrive by the first week of the month of May.

"We also have on ground the machines for the toothpick production in Ekori in Yakuur Local Government Area. Our Chinese partners are coming next week to install them. We have done up to 80 percent in building the factory in Ekoli. Right now the main factory hall is 80 percent ready. 

"Engineers are coming all the way from China to install them. By next week we should be moving them. The major raw material we intend to use for tooth pick is the bamboo and because Ekori is very close to Abi and Abi and Ekori have a lot of bamboos we decided to establish it there."

Offering insight on the state government's industrialization drive, Egba noted that "the idea of putting up these factories is because Cross River is a civil service state and every month we run to Abuja to get our revenue from the federal government which is decreasing by the day. So the establishment of these factories is simply to decouple the state from its over dependency on the centre. By the time we do this we would be able to create our own wealth, produce and sell to diverse people and also be able to create employment for graduates every year."

Ayade gets kudos over Cross River's performance in Neco.

 

As a direct fallout of the deliberate and concerted policies and programmes of the Senator Ben Ayade- led administration to reposition education, Cross River State’s rating in both the West African Examination Council (WAEC) and National Examination Council (NECO) has taken a great leap.

The State Commissioner for Education, Hon. Goddy Ettah who disclosed this in Calabar said before the coming of the Ayade administration, the was rated 22 by WAEC out of 36 states and Abuja and had moved to position 20; while in NECO, the state has moved from 29 to the second position in the country.

Hon. Ettah, also revealed that before now, WAEC had never held any of its National Conference in Cross River State, as a result of the previous poor rating of the state by the examination body, but that due to the giant strides made by Ayade leadership in this direction, the 58th National Conference of the Council is coming to Cross River.

The Cross River education Commissioner explained that the current administration has frontally tackled the scourge of examination malpractices in the state and has restored the confidence of both the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and the National Examination Council (NECO).

He further disclosed that in order to ensure quality teaching staff leading to quality education, teachers’ audit was carried out  to ascertained the qualifications of the teachers in the state employ, and discovered that out of 3000 teachers about 800 of them had fake certificates.

The Commissioner maintained that the Governor directed that those who lacked the requisite qualification should process to further their education, and that it is based on this premise that the state government is building a Teachers’ Continuous Education Centre at Biase Local Government Area of the state.

When contacted, three female teachers at the Government Secondary School, Uwanse in Calabar South said that the current administration in the state has done pretty well in the area of education.

Speaking, a junior secondary school (JSS) Mathematics teacher, Mrs. Grace Asha commended the efforts of the Ayade-led administration in the vital area of education, and posited that it is a wonderful thing that under Ayade, the state has been able to improve on both WAEC and NECO rating.

 Asha reasoned that in the aspect of examinations malpractices in the state, it is just a matter of time the issue will fizzle out with the level of war being waged by the Ayade government against it and hoped that the battle will be sustained by the government and other stakeholders in the educational sector in the state.

Also speaking, a senior secondary school mathematics teacher, Mrs. Glory Umotong emphatically stated that Ayade has performed extremely well in the area of education especially when it comes to fighting examinations malpractices and checking to ensure that teaching staff possess qualified certificates.

On her part, another senior secondary mathematics teacher, Mrs. Umoh Ebong, equally applauded the state government for achieving this feat.

Cross River State Government announce vacancies into state civil service for medical personnel.