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| Etim Bassey NUJ press center, Calabar |
CALABAR – A group known as Centre for Effective Leadership Development and Conciliation, CELDCON has called on the Antigraft agencies in the country to ignore Petitions written against the exiting governor of Cross River State, Sen. Prof. Ben Ayade, branding them as frivolous and distracting.
Speaking in a press conference held today in Calabar, the leader of the group, Comrade, Iso Bassey Edim said the group owes citzens the responsibility to put the record straight for the benefit of the masses and
part of this responsibility is to enlighten the masses on important issues including correcting a misinformation that may likely cause harm and unnecessary tension.
He noted that few weeks back, a group called Network Against Corruption and Human Trafficking had laid humongous accusations on the governor of Cross River State, Sen. Ben Ayade that he embezzled Five Hundred Billion Naira (500,000,000,000) as Cross River State Governor meant for developmental projects in the state.
Edim argued that Ayade couldn’t have embezzled such an amount of money when the total allocation from the Federal Allocation Committee, FAC, accrued to the state is in the region of Two Billion (N2,000,000,000) and Two Billion, Five Hundred Million Naira (N2,500,000,000,) only and has been so for the past Eight years of Governor Ben Ayade’s existence in office.
He also reminded Ayade’s accusers of information in public domain that the Governor’s predecessors left huge debts in the State, making it impossible for Cross River State to access Loans within this period.
“It is a known fact that in paying back the huge debts owed by Cross River State Government the sum of between One Billion, Six Hundred Million Naira (N1.6billion and N2billion) is deducted at source immediately payment is made by the Federal Allocation Committee every month; which leaves the State with less than a Billion Naira to cope with.”
“As Cross Riverians and Organization, we wonder where the Governor gets money to upset the Cross River State’s wage bill which is about Three Billion Naira (3,000,000,000) only and still do projects as seen here on ground and most of them being Commissioned by the Governor.”
“Lets assume that the said deduction for debts never took place, it therefore means that the State would have had/received the total of One Hundred and Ninety-two Billion Naira (192,000,000,000) for Eight years at Two Billion Naira (N2,000,000,000) only, monthly Federal Allocation or Two Hundred and Forty Billion Naira (N240,000,000,000) at Two Billion, Five Hundred Naira Million Naira (2,500,000,000) monthly Federal Allocation.”
“In consideration of No.5; where then did “Network Against Corruption and Human Trafficking” get their calculation or Allegation from? Mind you, salaries of Civil and Public Servants are paid effectively every month including this month of May that the Governor is leaving office.”
“In one of “Network Against Corruption and Human Trafficking’s” allegation, they accused the Governor of embezzling a particular amount in February, 2015, meanwhile the Governor took over office in May, 29″ 2015, meaning that the: Network Against Corruption and Human Trafficking are either paid jobbers to assassinate the Character of the Governor or they don’t really know what they are saying/doing?” The statement reads in parts.
The group therefore, called on the Antigraft agencies to ignore the call by Network Against Corruption and Human Trafficking, calling frivolous allegations while urging them to concentrate on more tangible Petitions before it.
“On this note, we call on the various Anti-Graft Agencies e.g EFCC, ICPC etc. to ignore the frivolous Allegations by Network Against Corruption and Human Trafficking and concentrate more with verifiable, tangible and meaningful petitions before them.”
When asked who was bankrolling CELDCON, to defend the out going governor, Edim noted that CELDCON is made up of notable and financial capable members who have sponsored several of its activities in the past.