Government News Source|17 July 2019
The Cross River State House of Assembly has shown concerns over the poor working conditions of staff of Calabar, Ugep, Ikom, Ogoja and Obudu Urban Development Authorities occasioned by the diversification of their duties by the numerous sanitary agencies in the state, especially the most recent, being the Governor’s Taskforce on Environment which has opened the window for the government to forsake the initial outfit created by law to oversee sanitation in state.
Lamenting the maltreatment meted the agency which was created by a bill of the Assembly in 2001 and amended in 2004, the House particularly pointed to the constitution of Environmental Taskforce and the undefined roles of the State’s Ministry of Environment and the State’s Waste Management Agency to be responsible for the sorry conditions of the Urban Development Authorities. The House has directed that the concerned bodies appear before the hallowed Chambers to offer proper explanations on the challenges mediating against their effective operation in Calabar and other urban cities in the state.
The resolution of the House was sequel to a motion moved during plenary yesterday, the 16th day of July 2019 by Hon. Godwin Akwaji, member representing Obudu state constituency, calling on the State Government to reinforce the activities of the Calabar Urban Development Authority (CUDA) in maintaining a Clean and Green Capital City. Hon. Godwin stated that Cross River State is known as one of the cleanness city in the Federation and one of the functions of the Urban Development Agency is to keep the environment clean and green.
Similarly, the Deputy Chief Whip, Rt. Hon. Okon E. Ephraim, member representing Calabar South 1 state constituency added that for an agency to function effectively, it must have a befitting office, that as he speaks, CUDA doesn't have an office and all the staff are contract staff who need to be encouraged and motivated.
Also, The Deputy Leader, Rt. Hon. Fred Osim, member representing Ikom 1 state constituency noted that cleanness should be a way of life and cleanness is next to godliness but is so unfortunate that Cross River state has gone back to a dirty state.
Rt. Hon. Ekpo Bassey, member representing Bakassi state constituency further observed that waste management is an important issue which must always be looked at when considering tourism development. He stressed the need to empower CUDA to return back with its workforce.
Responding, The Speaker, Rt. Hon. Eteng Jonah Williams commended members for their contributions and emphasized on the need for reorientation and sensitization of the public on keeping their environment clean while calling on the relevant ministry and agencies to be alive to their statutory responsibilities.
