Joseph Odok|15 June 2016|6:43am
Ayade plans a protest against the Federal Government over failure to fraudulently obtain Environmental Impact Assessment for the Super High Way.
Having failed to fraudulently obtain EIA for the Super Highway, Cross River State government is in a desperate move to stage a protest against the Federal Government and the Federal Ministry of Environment. It is to be recalled that the federal government has stopped one of Ayade's signature project for failure to obtain an Environmental Impact Assessment. Ayade had fraudulently began clearing Cross River State forest and revoking about 25% of the total land mass of Cross River State for a purported Super Highway despite obvious lack of funds, failure to obtain Environmental Impact Assessment, and failure in the following critical areas:
A clasped educational system, Comatose infrastructure, inabilities to meet up with the pension and gratuity of pensioners, an over bloated EXCO and political appointees with most of appointees paid only two months salary and many yet to be paid since the inception of Ayade's government, non payment of severance arrears for past political appointees is owed, non funding of state owned tertiary institutions that have turned into glorified secondary schools, Signature Projects that are a show of deception and lacking in due process, a fund starved judiciary constantly deceived with promises contained in many signed MoUs lacking in implementation, terrible security challenge with increasing cases of armed robbery, kidnapping, rape, cultist, a state turned dirty because of lack of coordination of relevant agencies, dysfunctional water system due to lack of funding and corruption, constant revocation of lands without payment of compensation, An impoverished and inept legislature lacking funds to publish passed bills. A state with a budget of over 300 billion with a revenue base of less than 100 billion.
In fact the Governor is always ready with one manipulative skill to keep gullible minds glued to his projects executed only through media hype.
It will be recalled that Ayade's super high way has been criticised by me in most of my articles. Giving a voice to my criticism, a petition by 13 international Nongovernmental was made to the federal Ministry of Environment against the Cross River State government and signed by Frond Kwame, African Regional Lead, WWF International, Switzerland; John Robinson, Executive Vice President, Wild Life Conservation Society, USA; Hazell Thompson, Bird Life International UK; Johnathan Bailie, Zoological Society of London, Uk; Richard Bergl, North Carolina Zoo, USA; Russ Mittermeier, Conservation International, UK; Adeniyi Karunwi, Executive Director, Nigerian Conservation Foundation, Lagos; Tunde Marakinyo, Founder and Director, Iroko Foundation, UK; John Oates, Hunter College, City University NY, USA; Amadi, Community Conservation and Development Initiative, Nigeria and Zoe Parr Consultant, Botswana.
Being caught up with the wave of criticism and setback to the fraudulent Super Highway project, the governor through the Office of the Commissioner Women Affairs and Youth, and Commissioner for Youth and Sports is planning a state protest against the federal government. Inside information has it that the governor has set aside some funds for the deployment of students from University of Calabar, CRUTECH, and some youths within Calabar for a protest tomorrow. Aware that the indigenes of the affected areas have risen against the governor, the government is poised to use a paid crowd because his government has greatly become unpopular of late.
This act must be stopped by well meaning Cross River State citizens.
Joseph Odok
Is a University Don & Social Change Agent