Category: Opinion

  • A search for new principle of abundance; Ayade’s new Thought System

    By Inok Solomon

    There is need for us to start thinking in terms of abundance instead of scarcity.  Time to appreciate the chase of abundance instead of wallowing in the bed room of scarcity, lack, and impossibilities. Time to take steps above just the power of positive thinking, and tell ourselves the truth. Much more is involve.

    To make this change of mind is our only way to end poverty, fear, joblessness, insecurity, infant and maternal death, insurgencies and doubts.
    Every time we have applied our minds and creativity, bringing information and new technology to our finite resources, we have expanded our resources, not diminished them.

    In the 1980s,  for instance, chicken, TV and Cars were essential commodities, even when we thought and sing about the power of our Naira then compared to today. Chicken was considered to be a rare food delicacy for many families,  only eaten as a Sunday meal for some middle class and as only Christmas meal for many others. Today, Chicken is like Sweet along our streets in towns and villages. Many of us can tell stories on how we queue at windows to watch New Masquerade,  an NTA drama programme.  Cars were owned by few very rich, but today, we choose from the latest technology built.

    GSM phones came and it was as if for the few rich, and today, Obasanjor is appreciated when GSM is mentioned.

    Even when growing methods are under scrutiny,  improvements are made by day, this shows how technology and creative thinking can increase our abundance.

    A research proves how Japanese response to worldwide gasoline prices. As fossil fuels became increasingly expensive, they responded by developing far more efficient cars, in many cases doubling and tripling gas mileage over Detract’s typical models, without compromising comfort, said the report.

    Abundance came not by finding new oil fields but by drawing upon knowledge and creativity to double and triple the use of what we already have.

    Another breakthrough in the theory of abundance is recycling,  making use of our abundant resources in what was once considered waste.  When low – cost, non – polluting, renewable energy is combined with recycled resources, economic renaissance is unprecedented.

    But in all these, prosperity will only go to those who think differently. With abundant untapped natural resources, coupled with a huge amount of waste waiting to be recycled,  given that by day, we see industries sprouting up in the building industry, with installation,  wallboard, doors, structural trusses and ornamentation being produced with recycled materials.

    The Governor Ayade administration score a point of being up to date then in creating the “Scrap Agency.”

    No growing economy today, depend on Malthusian theory of Scarcity.  Many who have, are now retired or death and new thinkers in the principle of abundance are taking control.

    Today, Governor Ayade’s trips across the world to sort for investors, can simply be termed, “A search for new principle of abundance.” The Malthusian among us will not understand they are retired, or even death. They form the “doubting Thomas.” Questioning ideas and creativity as being too wasteful.

    How do one call any creative venture waste? Is petty, shallow, unthinkable in our modern clime, were the waste of million years ago, are now the raw materials of today.

    So what can we do as a state and people? We need to get away from those not seeking ideas, get out from those who only want little more than their pay check and raises. We need to get away from the system that raises prices without improvement in the product or service.

    We are in the midst of an information revolution.  Wealth will go to those who use technology to advance abundance, not to those who perpetuate scarcity.  Greed and hoarding are unethical today. It may have been ethical to be greedy when there was limited information, but the explosion in information makes greed an idea whose time is in the past.

    Governor Ayade is calling on all Cross Riverians to think along the lines of abundance and embrace creativity.

  • When A Reverse Gear Is Ideal: Ayade and Destination Cross River Challenge By Nkrumah Bankong-Obi

    By Bankong-Obi


    The Cross River governor’s office is an incredibly swanky place. With its eco-friendly architecture, the building fits very well into the lush greenery of the ambience that Calabar, the capital offers. Of course, the natural environment is complimented by the vast investment in security gadgets that protect the staff and visitors– public and civil servants who work in or visit the edifice.

    The Government House, Calabar just a mile or two from the Governor’s office sits on the banks of the Atlantic Ocean. It is also a site to behold. Nestled by the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, the Eastern Naval Command, the Court of Appeal and toppling hills. Occupants of that building, ordinarily, should have unfettered access to tranquility, a gateway to reflection. With this they could draw from the vast human and natural resources available to turn the State in their custody to a heaven of sorts.
    Besides, the governor’s office overlooks the Hope Waddel Training Institute, reputed as a foremost institution that produced great Nigerian leaders such as Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Dr. Okoi Arikpo, Professor Kalu Uka, Ambassador Okon Uya, among other pathfinders. This should jerk up ambitious antennas and inspire anyone providently opportune to oversee the state, to aspire to statesmanship.

    Regardless of the expensive assemblages in these two public facilities, one room in the governor’s office stands out distinctly. Not for its near decrepitude, though. The small library in the governor’s office is the treasure trove. It is suffering great setback, despite the finances expended on renovating and equipping the piece of structure. Ensconsed in the second floor of the imposing  edifice, the library is clothed in magazines, newspapers, books and periodicals, most of them dating back to the eighteenth century. That those materials have been alive, is perhaps thanks to the diligence of the workers in that section. The bad news is that the bookhouse which functions as a support unit of the media arm of the governor’s office, is now in a pitiable state. The complication in this case is that this happens despite two professors presently working just next door. There are doubts that these academic-politicians or some of those who conquered the State before them as governors or administrators ever visited the library or use(d) condensed material therefrom as a compass to navigate the state. In addition, there are bundles and piles of materials that non-state actors like me aren’t expected to have access to. All these are meant to afford whoever governs this abundantly-endowed state a binocular-effect entry into the past and then aid her or him to define the future.

    Aside officials may be shunning the library, Cross River State in the last one year has not organised any profound all-encompassing seminar or conference as a measure of harnessing the diverse intellectual and field material for the purpose of enhancing the governance and development of the State. Also, when the state is now cast on artificial fault lines of ‘they in PDP versus them in APC’, governance dips further down the lane of indifference, stagnation and disrepute. Yes, an array of stars has been put together to asssist in rolling the motors of governance. But, when a senior official recently threw in the towel, blaming lack of briefs or space to function, contriversies set in.

    A glaring evidence of the abandonment of that small asset (library) is almost manifesting in the form of leadership slide into hallucinations as a method of governing. This happens despite the fact that all basic theories and formula required to move, trudge and swashbuckle positively, are enshrined in those brittle books. I will begin from 1968 to show how materials on those racks can make governance easier. When the young state which had just been uncoupled from the Eastern Region as Southeastern State just set up offices in Calabar, there were only three towns that electricity and pipe-borne water. Colonel Jacob Esuene, the pioneer governor who was appointed by then Head of States, Major-General Yakubu Gowon laid the foundation for the takeoff  in 1967. During a recent trolling through libraries in Cross River State, I stumbled on a copy of Esuene’s 1968 budget proposal at the library in the governor’s office. The document showed that projects and programmes for the year were intended to be financed with proceeds from cocoa, palm kernel and oil, forest produce and of course the small subvention from the Federal government. That creation also included Akwa Ibom State which was carved out in 1987.

    Given that it was a budget of reconstruction and a rising from the ashes of the civil war, Esuene was tasked with laying a foundation for, and building a state out of the ruins of the conflict in this part of Nigeria. Despite his administration’s notoriety for human rights abuses – including the public whipping of traditional and community leaders in Ikom Division, no one in his senses can deny the fact that Esuene supervised the building of the University of Calabar, the road connecting Calabar to other parts of Nigeria. He built the stadium, the famous Polytechnic Calabar which has been drunkenly renamed Cross River University of Technology, CRUTECH,  the Calabsr Airport now renamed Margaret Ekpo International Airport, the State newspaper and broadcasting outfits, among others. Since Esuene’s removal in 1974(?), infrastructural development has remained largely a fantasia of political themes, with little practical returns.

    Leapfrog the journeymen who came on tour-of-duty as military administrators and land on the short-lived Chief Clement Ebri era for some appraisal. Though his tenure was cut short by Khalifa Sani Abacha and his palace coup associates, Ebri, a figure at home with intellectuals and laymen, erected the foundation for health institutions across local governments in the State. He also supervised the takeoff the newly created local councils, as well as giving the people a sense of belonging. I remember how much Ebri was loved by people across divides. He dined with them, visited schools, council chairmen were treated as colleagues, partners and friends not as serfs and boys as it is presently the case. The governor routinely visited schools and colleges, laying foundations for new ones. He never left his desk to go in search of investors. His, was a new face that everyone, including this writer who also lined up the roads with other schoolchildren to welcome the governor whenever he came visiting, sort to wear.  Mr. Ebri’s impact was just beginning to be felt when Abacha struck and unleashed anarchy, with real governance off in flight
    So, when the despot expired and democracy returned, Cross River State, like others across the nation, heaved a sigh of relief. Then, Donald Duke, smiling broadly and offering a glimmer of hope, took the state by unconcealed civility. The first two years of his administration were spent setting up what became his legacy – tourism. With the fierce energy of youth and optimum utilisation of the human resources across spectrums, he was able to pursue the tourism agenda with the ferocity of a mafia boss. At the end, he left behind a civil service state that transformed  to Nigeria’s premier tourism destination. Yes, in addition to qualifying as a playboy of the corporate world, Duke left the state in debts that but not for genuine miscalculations and lack of broader consultation, would have been justifiable.

    Yes,  I hold that given her geo-economic location, Calabar didn’t need the Tinapa Resort, at least of that magnitude. Yes, I still maintain that Duke left the educational system in shambles. Yes, his men’s relentless quest for absolute political control reportedly left some amount of blood on the streets of Calabar, Obudu and elsewhere in the State. But he is the man who saw the future. He saw petroleum leaving Nigeria in a lurch and rose to stem the unpleasnt future from happening. His tourism legacy, though now in the cooler, provides an alternative to petroleum. I understand that within eight years of his administration, the number of hotels, motels and guesthouses rose from barely 99 to about 400 in Calabar alone. Jobs were created in the sector. Culture became a huge enterprise. The Calabar Carnival, the flagship Christmas cantata became the income source for a number of Calabar residents. Investors came with little or no beck. Duke moved  Cross River to tourism as an alternative revenue generating vehicle. But, he fell short of outright diversifying the economy from a civil service one to that erected on at least a tripod of oil, tourism and agriculture. Duke failed in evolving sustainable agriculture. Having achieved one however, his successors were expected to build the other arms.

    Lyel Imoke who was inaugurated as governor in 2007 did so much for the eighteen local government areas. He maintained status quo until a sudden rumoured fixation on post-governorship job in Abuja gripped him. That was based on the projection that former President Goodluck Jonathan would win the presidency again in 2015. Senator Imoke maintained the balance, rehabilitated greying war horses, empowered some foot soldiers and cemented his place as the consensus builder of Cross River politics. Imoke’s attempt at privatisation of farm estates that litter the State was shrouded in lustful immidiacy. The fruits are yet to be reaped, years after. Civil servants are still clicking classes that the man who was indifferent to their plight is no more on the saddle. Despite these failings, he kept the peace even though the Skolombo genie was planted during his term. He tarred some rural roads, built a few huge infrastructural cathedrals. And importantly for the people of Northern Cross River, he reset the balance of power when he supervised the election of Ben Ayade as the first governor of Cross River State from that axis. Imoke, to the many who look at governance from the prism of having person in positions of authority from their area, is the dispenser of justice, a dove that marked time and flew, simultaneously.

    So, with Ayade, a professor of Environmental Studies and Professor Ivara Esu, another professor of Soil Science in tow as governor and deputy governor, respectively, every one thought that the state was sleeping from one average dream into brighter days, a fresh dawn. But the last one year has left many disillusioned. The impatient lot point to the motion-without-movement that has characterised the regime. They believe that Ayade has no business building a new foundation, afterall, his party, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP has been incharge since 1999. And importantly, he, like most other Nigerian governors, is believed to have the ears and support of President Muhammadu Buhari. Instead, Ayade is showing the people shopped transfigured photographs with no clear roadmaps to achieving the dreams. He has spoken of Calasvegas, Disneyland, New Cities( with no strategy to send tourists back to Obudu Ranch Resort, Buancho Drill Ranch, Tinapa, Nkarasi Monolith). He is hooked on the  Deep City Port and Super Highway even as  rare forest specimen are vanquished while the highway project is stalled by avoidable litigations. The vapidity, many believe, is snowballing. More than a year after his novel swearing-in speech, Ayade’s professorial theories appear blurred on the performance barometer.

    Indeed, Esuene in the budget speech I referred to earlier, said “The ability of a group of people to manage their affairs at governmental level is known by the extent to which individual members of that community are self-reliant. No government in the world can fulfil its role of raising the national economy to a respectable level where various communities fold their arms and wait complacently for the government to supply elementary social amenities for them…If the government cannot do these things from its limited resources, the people must wake up to help themselves.”  The conditions for achieving this are peace, a level play ground and workable peer review mechanisms. It is doubtful if the rampaging cult gangs in Calabar, some suspected to be within the government, will ever allow citizens to contribute to lifting the state. No one expects the current governor to achieve his dreams for the state overnight, given the weary global economy. No, that will be asking for the impossible.  But there areas he could buy consensus witb the governed.

    Cross Riverians simply need a governor who can sit down and work. Who will travel less in search of eluding investors – others, from 1999 have gone and returned empty-handed. The State needs a woman/man that can galvanise them to work in the farms and other huge reserves of nature’s bequeathing. They will like to see a governor who brings in new tractors and other modern farming implements to truly industrialise agriculture. They need a governor who can laise with the Federal government to reactivate the Cross River Basin Authority and put the forest and aquatic reserves from Boki to Calabar and the arable land in the old Ogoja Province to great use. They yearn for a governor who can set up cottage industries to refine cocoa seeds into powder before export. They need someone who understands the importance of building a small biscuits factory in Ikom or Boki to stop wastage of the large-scale banana grown in the area. Cross Riverians, I’m sure appreciate it, if their governor rather dredges the old seaport rather than build a new one without a defined feasibility study. Many people, not Ayade’s men-on-suit, will stick out their necks for a man who listens to reason even if he is sufficiently fed on Charles Mackay’s The Extraordinary  Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds. Not all criticism amounts to killer broadsides. The people will line the streets voluntarily to welcome a governor who keeps them safe. Even the physically-challenged who recently took the entire state hostage by blocking the only entrance into the city while the governor was away, will genuinely sing his praises if the very basic amenities that his predecessors could not fix are taken care of. Nobody wants to sleep so long in a good dream that cannot leave the body, soul and spirit stronger. Ayade can turn things round. This is how:

    First, another key thing to do after agriculture and cottage industries is a return to the tourism master plan designed earlier. Agreed, there are shortcomings in the document. He can rejig it. Agreed, global income is falling and the number of tourists is also low. Boko Haram may not have helped by its international recognition as a Nigerian wraith of terror. In all these, we should see things from the perspective of hope by preparing for the good day. At the right time, these present impediments will be self-fixed. We must strengthen state-wide festivals that had been abandoned. We should work with selected Nigerian embassies in Europe and the Americas to woo tourists– I think we can even have desk officers in choosen countries and keep a tab on how they perform in terms of luring foreign nationals to visit our State. In addition to reaping from our share of the diaspora reserve, the Ayade government can find a way to cultivate friendship with some reputable foreign media outfits to correct certain narratives that hinder tourist flow – these guys move the traffic.

    We must leverage on the recent statement by the outgoing United States of America’s ambassador, James Eintwhistle that he appreciates the nature and serenity in upper Cross River than anywhere else in Nigeria. We need to wake up to the reality that we can convince foreigners that Cross River State has indisputable  immunity from the Boko Haram carnage.

    Before attempting to cast off that log, we must take care of the self-groomed cult wars in Calabar. Ayade should lead the charge to unite the people – politicians or not into a functional platform. Ultimately, he should listen more. If he listens, he can pick out and do the basic things for the season.  And when things improve financially, we will certainly lend him our backs to erect his dreams for the State.
    The Ministry of Environment should be empowered to spruce the streets. The benchmark should be a return  to Duke-era attainment. In the same pursuit of excellence in The Peoples Paradise, the yawning craters on Calabar-Ikom-Ogoja/Obudu Highway should be blotted out.

    The goverment should consider making visible investments in information technology. One doesn’t need to emphasize the need for this. The thing to add is that it could become a good marketing medium for the Cross River while also providing jobs for the people.

    I will conclude by noting that dreaming big is a hallmark of greatness. But the job at hand should never flag while the jobber is on cavorting sprees or day-dreaming at the same time. Our governor has done pretty well with the civil servants; keeping them happy. He can keep the entire state happy if he thinks along the lines of immediate needs – jobs, to medium term –a pathway to legacy and long term –indisptable functional legacy, not another Tinapa. Ayade has the luck of time in his pouch. It is still within his reach. He can build on his gains and halt on densed imageries that may not be fully interpreted concretely, any time soon. This way, Cross River can return to airport halls as Nigeria’s number one leisure destination and nature’s cradle.

    Bankong-Obi, journalist and poet, can be reached via banxobi@gmail.com
    from: www.thenewsng.com

  • Probe Abandoned projects in Niger Delta Region: Group urges FG

    A nascent youth organization, the Niger Delta Youth  Council (NDYC)has urged the Federal Government to show spirited concern in the development of the Niger Delta region by ensuring that the avalanche of abandoned projects that dot the region are duly completed.

    The group also pledged to support efforts of the government to expose contractors who had abandoned projects awarded to them to ensure that such projects are completed according to specification or the contractors brought to book. In a statement jointly signed by its National Coordinator, Comrade Jator Abido and Delta Coordinator, Comrade Ajar Harrison, in Abuja, the NDYC observed that the region is flooded with abandoned projects that if completed will add immense value to the lives of the Niger Delta people. The statement unfortunately stated that those projects were abandoned because both the contractors and the benefiting community leaders either took advantage of the reign of impunity in the system then, and/or compromised on the utmost need of having those projects completed and put to use.

     The statement reads in part “we at the NDYC have watched with amazement how that greed and compromise of our leaders have resulted in dotting of abandoned projects across the Niger Delta region. Contractors have taken advantage of the reign of impunity just as community leaders whose communities should benefit from these projects compromise on the utmost need to ensure they have these projects duly completed in their communities. Such insensitivity is capable of destroying our development projections as a region.

    Against this backdrop, we urge that the Federal Government under the able leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari to show spirited concern in the development of the Niger Delta by first identifying such projects and then causing the contractors to return to site and completing them according to specification”.

    Arguing further that abandonment of projects have negated the development of the region, the NDYC statement recalled that the people of Omedino and Ukpokiti communities for instance have suffered untold hardship arising from the abandonment of the phase 1 Excravos road linking them and other towns in Delta state. It stressed that the project which was awarded to Contra and Fab Engineering Company  Limited at over N7.1 billion has been abandoned over 7 years ago.

    The group blame similar tendencies for   the prolonged state of militancy and insecurity in the region saying that the situation saw a surge in frequent protests  by interest groups leading up to uncontrollable agitations.
               
    Bassey Ita,
    Chief Press Secretary, Office of the National Vice Chairman
    (South/South), APC. 

  • Governor Ayade Is Working: The Challenges Are Surmountable By Augustine Ogar

    As the world economic crisis triggers new permutations with Great Britain (GB) exiting from the European Union (EU) to go it alone, instead of being tied to the Euro currency which many years ago brought hope of global economic resurgence, Nigeria has suddenly fallen into recession. Moreso, with the crashing of oil prices in the world market as market leaders like Saudi-Arabia pump more oil into the market to sustain her national economy and lead buyers like the United States (US) finding alternative in shale oil, Nigeria’s national revenue yield has dwindled beyond predictions.

    The unfolding national economic stress as caused many states in Nigeria not even to fulfill the basic needs of their people. Some states in the federation have owed workers salaries for several months running. The effects of this national economic tension has spiral into many sectors of our national life including the hardship commuters are experiencing moving across the nation on roads and other means of transportation.

    Empirical evidence has shown that Nigeria, is one of the country with the highest road network globally and dependent on mass movement of goods and services by road.

    But in the midst of all this confusion and tension His Excellency, Governor Ben Ayade has proven to be one calculative, purposeful and undaunted individual State Governor who has kept the ship of his state moving in a right direction by prompt and regular payment of worker salaries; increased human resource development and capacity building through giving political appointments to several hundred of persons, recruiting about 1,500 Green Police Cadets and giving permanent employments to 150 DOPT Cadets who were on casual payroll for about three years. He has, also, completed some physical infrastructure in less than one year like the garment factory, monorail, and some roads in Calabar the state capital.

    From all indications, Governor Ayade is a rare specie (leader) in Nigeria were person in such leadership position always give excuses for non-performance.

    Yes! It is no news that Cross River State is among the least in federal allocation index compounded by debts owed by the Former State Chief Executives of previous administrations which are deducted at source making the state to fall further into zero allocation. It is also no news, that the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) has fallen due to collapse of many businesses affected by the general recession. Again, I doubt if it is news that road infrastructure between Calabar – Ikom – Ogoja and Ikom – Obudu – Ranch Resort, two Federal Highways providing linkage between the Southern and Northern parts of the state has collapsed and almost impassable.
    What is news to many reasonable observers is the rumour mongers heaping the blame of collapse Federal Roads on the State Government which is doing everything within available resources to mitigate the situation. Oh, yes! In recent weeks the State Government repaired the “bad spot” adjacent to the gate of the Catholic Girls Juniorate at Iwuru and moved on to the Akpet Central “bad spot” were it entered into arrangements with Faith Plant to supply materials and equipment and successfully covered part of the collapsed portion. But my findings shows that non availability of funds is hindering the completion of the Akpet Central work (and not the arrest of Faith Plant Management being peddled or feed to the gullible public by rumour mongers) it is this perennial problems that has warranted Governor Ayade to construct an alternative route in the proposed Super-Highway.

    As it is in the character of my boss Senator Ayade to always speak the truth and all of us working under him, I had to speak to Engineer Godwin Akeke (Director Civil, State Ministry of Works) who have been directly handling these repair works on the Federal Highways in the State. And he told me that by the order of the State Governor the portion in Iwuru was completely repaired while that of Akpet Central is in progress due to availability of funds. But that the pressure which the State Government mounted on Federal Authorities is now yielding fruits as the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has been given a matching order to remedy the situation.

    According to Engr. Akeke information reaching him indicates that the Federal Roads in the State had been segmented into three between Calabar-Odukpani Junction, Calabar-Itu, and Odukpani-Adim and given to three different Construction Companies for repairs. Although, he was yet to ascertain the Companies, he said that Zenith Construction Company had been given the portion between Calabar-Odukpani Junction.

    However, I am worried that these same gullible public do not even ask questions about the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) which is supposed to be in-charge of Federal Roads Maintenance in Cross River. This same malleable public does not bother to read the status books to understand that the Federal High Ways are trunk “A” Roads under Federal Jurisdiction. And that what is compounding the collapse of our Roads whether trunk “A” or “B” in the State is the heightened heavy tankers traffic now lifting petroleum from Calabar Depot coming from the Eastern and Northern part of the Country.

    My appeal to citizens of this State and the Nation at large, is that these times calls for sober reflection, patience and understanding as good governance is a product of collective responsibility. Our Leaders whether at Federal, State or Local Government needs our support and prayers.

    Suffice, is to say that Governor Ayade is not God. He is human with flesh and blood and he needs our prayers too. I believe that with “I can do” spirit of Governor Ayade these challenges are surmountable.

  • What Is The Stage Of The Bakassi Deep Seaport Project? A Question Asked By Kokoete Eyoita

    Before I will go ahead to answer this question, let me make an analysis to reveal why the the Federal Government and our neighbouring countries have decided to support Cross River State in the Deep Seaport Project and the inputs of the Federal Government, as a major stake holder, towards what is achieved on the project and the stage reached, so far.

    There are growing concern and interests from neighbouring countries and the Federal Government because of the perceived rossy future the Bakassi Maritime asset assures. Firstly, the the Central African Republic, Chad and Niger Republic see Bakassi Seaport as a channel of radical accomplishment of revolutionizing commerce into a modern phase in African Region. This is because of the unique proximity advantage of Bakassi Port to other seaport, aside other salient considerations of geography, and as the only Deep Seaport in Africa with evacuation channel. I have stated earlier on how Chadians often travel for days to get to Cotonou and travell another 3 to 4 days to the nearest seaport for their shipments of merchandise which was why the Chadian Government wrote to Cross River State expressing its interest on Trade and Business Development through the Calabar Seaport.

    Secondly, the Federal Government, having considered the plight of its neighbouring countries passing through the stress of travelling for 6 to 7 days to get to the nearby Seaport in Benin Republic, have decided to play the principle of good neighbourliness by ensuring that the Bakassi Seaport that is prefered by its neighbours is rather put to function, which will shorten the journies from those neighbouring countries fro to 1 or 2 days with less stress. This principle of Good Neighbourliness in Nigeria is expressed through her Concentric foreign policy, designed by Professor Ibrahim Gambari in 1985. The policy is designed with the layer approach which emphasizes that Nigeria’s interest in global affairs should be located in the physical Nigeria and her immediate neighbours before the rest of the world.

    The essence of this is to ensure that certain projects are in pursuant to fulfilling domestic and concentric responsibilities. Good neighbours feel pains for each other and make moves to solve any perceived problem.

    It is based on this and other promising opportunities the Deep Seaport holds that the Federal Ministry of Transport had to take up greater responsibility at ensuring that the project is a huge success. In my first post about this subject matter, I wrote on how the Federal Government constituted a steering Committee for the Bakassi Deep Seaport with spelt-out terms of reference.

    However, it should be known that a huge project like the Deep Seaport involves rigorous and deliberate paper work. Once the paper work and other preliminary arrrangents are completed, every other thing is easy.The Steering Committee set by the Minister of Transport has been meeting regularly at Abuja. So far, the Committee has finished its paper work of Expression of Interest (EOI) for the procurement of Transaction Adviser; finished working on the budget for the proposed project; finished EIA and awaiting its certification and approval of NPA and the Federal Government.

    According to Arch Eric Akpo who is the Special Adviser to the Governor on Technical Matters, the Deep Seaport project is not like any other project. The good thing is that once equipments are moved to site, Customs and Immigration are equally deployed alongside and the Seaport, automatically, will  start functioning, which in the shortest possible time, while the reclaimation and shore protection activities are on-going, flat and mother vessells will start berthing.

    The Chief Economic Adviser to the State Government/Vice Chairman of the State Planing Commission, Dr Francis Ntamo says that the Bakassi Deep Seaport is the only Federal Project with the highest level of Compliance, after the deliberate readiness assessment which was done by the Steering Committee set up by the Federal Government in collaboration with the Local Implementing Team headed by Senator Florence Itagiwa as the Director, as the site is approved and ready.


    Eval Asikong is the S.A. to the Governor on Social Media

  • The Current Tertiary Institution Screening Exercise: A Case Of A Dog Eating Its Vomitus By Emmanuel Ogah

    After so many policy multiplications, power-drunk tussles, varieties of confusing information, instructions lopsidedness, and institutional horse-trading, the Ministry (or Minister) of Education, Nigeria University and other Tertiary Institution Commission, and the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) finally came to a consensus as to the way and manner that candidates who have qualified for and have been given provisional admission by JAMB will be screened into our higher institutions.

    According to the guidelines released on JAMB website on 5th July, 2016, the modalities would be points accumulation system. This means that for a candidate to be considered for screening to get admission, he/she must have been given provisional admission by JAMB. Secondly, points are to be evenly spread out between O’level and JAMB results. A candidate who submits only one result (WAEC, NECO, NABTEB, ect) which contains his/her relevant subjects earns 10 points while those with two sittings only gets two points. Thirdly, each O’level grade has its equivalent point; A is 6 marks, B is 4 marks while C is 3 marks. Fourthly, UTME score has its equivalent points too. For those who scored 180-200 their points range between 20-23. Those who scored 200-250 (24-33points); 251-300 (34-43points); while 300-400 (44-60 points).

    Furthermore, cut off marks will be released by schools in form of points and not marks. Also the classification of admission on the basis of merit, catchment area and Educationally Less Developed States (ELDS) is still maintained and the points shall range accordingly. Meanwhile fees will still be charged for the screening. The bottom line of the whole screening exercise is that, even when JAMB have granted a candidate a provisional admission, such candidate may lose the admission if he/she falls short of the required points as stipulated by the higher institution.

    A critical content analysis of the foregoing leaves much to be desired. The first being that, prior to the year 2005 when aptitude test commenced, of all the uproar that the exercise amassed, the point that the Universities Dons used to substantiate their argument in favour of the implementation of the ‘Aptitude Test’ was that the knowledge of most candidates seeking admission cannot match up with the impressive O’level result and high JAMB scores they possess.

    They speculated/accused the WAEC, NECO, NABTEB and JAMB standard and process of being porous, and boasted that the ‘Aptitude Test’ will present a water-tight and more reliable platform whereby only truly qualified candidates will get admission and this will also serve as a threshold to churn out graduates that can be vouched for in terms of character and learning. Thus, as long as the higher institutions were concern, O’level and JAMB score were not a reliable medium through which admission should be granted a candidate.

    Therefore, it was most surprising to learn about the latest modalities for admission which was massively influenced especially by the Universities. For the higher institutions to now place reliance on O’level and JAMB scores as the basis to grant admission, the same standard they have so criticized and used as a ladder to climb to the throne of aptitude test, can for want of proper description, and with utmost respect, be likened to a dog eating its own vomitus.

    That aside, reactions from the way and manner in which the current screening exercise is being conducted makes the whole experience debilitating. Candidates are only expected to work into the hall, show their O’level and JAMB result and walk out. One has expected that since O’level has been brought to the fore, the higher institutions would have waited for WAEC, NECO, NABTEB (especially the ones written by students of secondary schools) results to be out before commencing the screening. Because as it is now, candidates who filled awaiting results, especially those who just finished from secondary school are most likely to be screened out for want of O’level result.  

    Another challenge with the current pattern of screening is that it is most likely to encourage nepotism, patent-clientele and favouritism. It may be deciphered, going by the statement on JAMB website with regards to the screening exercise that JAMB may not be monitoring the whole exercise. Because in the website, JAMB advised candidates that “praying is all you can do now”. They further said, “JAMB provisional admission no longer makes much sense this year, your points tally decides your faith”. And then they concluded by saying, “so, the provisional admission is just a means to an end, not the end itself”.

    Going by this, it appears as though the supervisory mandate of JAMB over the screening exercise has been expunged and leaving the higher institutions with the exclusive reserve to screen and give admission. If this is so, then rooms have been created for the ‘who knows who’ to give admissions to their cronies, relatives and bidders, thus denying the actually qualified candidates the chance of being admitted on the guise or justification that either they could not get the requisite points or too many candidates qualified that the admission space could not accommodate. In the era of aptitude test at least one can be assured that a hardworking candidate may be admitted on merit. We have had situations where candidates who managed to score 180 in JAMB eventually scored the highest in aptitude test.

    On the whole, it is obvious that the current screening exercise by higher institutions tend not to assess the candidates on anything extraordinary, because the candidates are just expected to come into the hall, drop their O’level results and JAMB result and immediately leave the hall. To be modest, it is rather an act of giving a confirmation to O’level and JAMB performance which the same higher institutions have severely criticized of being unreliable.

    But if however, the exercise has come to stay, the following is recommended to make the exercise probable. That the screening exercise be conducted after all the whole O’level results (especially the ones written by students of secondary schools) are out. That since the Ministry of Education has approved candidates to sit for two examinations, the disparity in point between one result and two results should be expunged or brought closer, for example ten points for one result and eight points for two results. That since the higher institutions can on their own verify the O’level results and JAMB scores, the need of candidates paying for screening and travelling all the way to the institution just to present these documents which have already been uploaded online should be discountenanced. That JAMB officials should join and monitor the higher institution in the screening exercise.

    If these recommendations are not implementable, then a reversal to the former process is advocated, because it would be a case of the higher institutions licking their vomitus. Already, our education sector is at an emergency state, further injuries may spell doom for us.

    AWHEN EMMANUEL OGAH is a Legal Practitioner, Essayist and Poet.

  • Akwa-Ibom NUJ Leadership Charges Online Publishers on Responsive, Responsible Journalism

    The leadership of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Akwa Ibom State Council has advised information Publishers on online platforms to ensure they operate responsibly amidst their desire to break news.

    The Charge came on Wednesday when Online Publishers under the aegis of Coalition of Online Publishers in Akwa Ibom State, COOPA paid a courtesy call to the recently inaugurated executives of NUJ Akwa Ibom State Council.

    In his address, the Chairman of the Council, Elder Patrick Albert noted that while the society needs a responsive media practice to thrive, there is need for the practice to be carried out responsibly in other not to destroy the society which the media seeks to build.

    He said for that to be achieved, it was imperative for media practitioners to revisit the teachings on principles guiding journalism practice even as his led administration will not relent effort in the training and retraining of its members.

    Elder Albert commended the body for their solidarity to the Union exemplified in their decision to be the first to pay a courtesy call on the new executive.
    He added ” I have followed with keen interest most activities of your members. I feel so happy to belong to journalism practice in Akwa Ibom State. I see dynamism and courage especially among the young minds. I want to charge you to continue to be passionate but not allow politicians to set us on fire against ourselves. Carve a niche for yourself. But do that responsibly “.

    Earlier in his address, the Chancellor of the group, Mr Ifreke Nsewo congratulated the new executive for emerging victorious at poll, stressing that the reelection of Elder Patrick Albert has proved that performance and humility in service will always triumph over falsehood.

    While commending Elder Albert for taking the Union to heights worthy to be reckoned with, he pointed out that among the things that has endeared the group to the State Chairman is his interest in online Media as exemplified in his presence on Social Media platforms, provision of ICT centre for journalists and frequent use of the Online Media for information dissemination.

    Mr. Nsewo noted that since Online Publishing has come to stay and perhaps its emergence has made publishing business challenging for the print media, the group was ready to partner the Council to help print Media outfits embrace Online Publishing.

    They pledged their loyalty to Elder Patrick Albert’s led administration and reiterate their desire to have an Online Chapel, adding that they are working to meet the necessary requirements.

  • Cross River State PDP Family; A Family In Disarray B Richard Romanus

    Those who are familiar with the politics of Cross River State will agree with me that, the last time the party witness the kind of opposition it is currently witnessing now from the All Progressives Congress (APC) was within the period of 1999-2003. It was a period where in spite of producing a Governor then in the person of Mr Donald Duke, the party was not just a minority party in the Cross River State House Of Assembly,but had both National Assembly and Chairmanship seats almost shared equally with the Opposition. During the period, the party’s main opposition party, the All People’s Party(APP) had a roll call of virtually all the known politicians anybody can think of in the State.

    It was in recognition on the need to cut the opposition to size as well as reduce to the barest minimum,some of the unnecessary distractions that are often times instigated by them, the then Governor,His Excellency, Mr Donald Duke with the help of the federal Government  which was also controlled by PDP as at that time,deployed all arsenals within his disposal to ensure that the opposition is killed and buried in the State in the 2003 General elections. It was the outcome of that elections that has until recently, saw the People’s Democratic Party(PDP) dominating the entire political space in the State. Thanks to his successor, Senator Liyel Imoke whose eight years stint as Governor further solidify the PDP structures in the nooks and crannies of the State.

    The bond in the party became so strong that,party members were known and address as family members. Every family member was given equal opportunity,descisions were collectively taken, who gets what,when and how was a decision of all organs of the party, A PDP members event, be it burial, birthdays, Corronation or thanksgiving etc became a Must attend for members which depicted oneness, Unity, love and brotherhood. But one year after, as the ruling party in the State and opposition party at the Centre, the PDP family seems to be distingrating on per second billing.

    No thanks to the outcome of the 2015 general elections which saw the party roundly beaten at the centre by the All Progressive Congress(APC), a development that has given rise to massive defections of some prominent members of the PDP to APC. The unnecessary infighting between leaders of the Party in the State, the perceived abysmal performance of the PDP control State Government by some members of the party which has continually kept them on the defensive,the apparent lack of internal democracy,the disrespect for elders of the party by the younger generation of the party, harmful and unilateral decisions by a certain few as well as the fear of the unknown,are all some of the major reasons the Party is in such a sorry State.

    It is mind bugling to see a Political Party who needs nothing other than tangible performance on ground from all its elected office holders to survive the inpending doom pose by its rivals, rather fighting each other instead of embarking on genuine reconciliation of all aggrieved party members. The party leadership  in the state from all indications has not woken up to the reality that, it is no longer business as usual as evident in some of the activities and utterances of some of its Executives.

     If the defection of people like Senator Bassey Otu, Dr Alex Egbona, Senator Victor Ndoma Egba, Hon Paul Adah, Prince Jedy Agba, Venatius Ikem among others and the subsequent appointment of six Cross Riverians as of the last count into major positions of Government by President Mohammadu Buhari does not send danger signal to the PDP in the state, then I wonder what will.

    The PDP Government under Senator Ben Ayade came into office with a lot of promises, Some of which include, the construction of a 260km Super Highway, the construction of a deep Seaport, Construction of a Garment factory among several others. Thankfully, from what we hear, read and see, the Garment factory is 99% completed but only waiting to be commissioned by Mr President. The question is, must the project be commission by the President? The PDP Government can still get anybody who is in the good books of the President to perform that task. This in my mind, would give the party more impetus in the face of daunting opposition and will also put to rest the ownership question being bandid around by members of the opposition.

    The bad shape of the Nigeria Economy is an open secret to every Nigerian today, just like the slim financial resources of our state is no longer news to Cross Riverians. All that is expected of the PDP government is to ensure that it promises little and do more. It is sad to note that, the government keeps feeding members of the public with new promises while little or nothing is been done to redeem the already made ones. If the over one thousand Cross Riverians that were recruited into the Green Police  and the over five hundred widows that were meant to work in the Garment factory can start work and their salaries paid every month in line with the Governor’s promise of creating 10,000 jobs while vigorously pursuing other major projects that could be of immense benefits to Cross Riverians, then the PDP would have been rest assured of retaining the State.

    Since the task of rebulding the confidence of the electorates on the party is not only the Governor’s affair, they is therefore an urgent need for a regular interface between both National and State Assembly members and their Constituents. This again to a large extend,will enable them know the major problems of the people and see how they can be solved and remedied.

    The party leadership in the state on its part must be alive to its responsibilities. The party is still lucky to have two former Governors, one former Deputy Governor, two former state party Chairmen and a host of other well meaning members of the party who at any time they are called upon for advise and wise counsel, will not hesitate to. Relegating and disrespecting them for one lame reason to the other will rather spell doom for the party.

    The publicity unit if the party must as a matter of urgency, set up a Strong  media team that will at all times speak unbehalf of the party on both electronic, print and social media especially Facebook where it appears, members of the opposition are having a field day attacking the PDP government from all cylinders. This is imperative in order to safe the Governor’s media team that is currently faced with the onerous task of defending their principal as well as the party.

    For me,the State Chapter of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) still has what it takes to rule over the affairs of this state for another 16 years but this is only possible if and only if,it puts it’s house in order and begins to do the right

    Richard Romanus is a Public Affairs Commentator from Oderegha, Obubra LGA in CRS

  • If You declare Money wanted, the Money would run away – Governor Ayade

    The conscious departure from the path of God (which offers genuine prerequisite conditions to fame and eternal glory) and preference by the youths in contemporary times, especially in our clime, to explore short cuts to fame, affluence and relevance in the society is an issue that needs urgent visit by solution seekers to the plight of the youths. To find a lasting solution to the issues negating efforts to remove obstacles in the way of preparing the youths of this generation for future leadership roles, the ghost of “get rich quick syndrome through machinations”, crude blackmails, junk criticisms, jealousy, pride, passion for falsehood, and utter disregard and resentment for the power of hard work and perseverance must be exorcised from the youths. The actual reasons giving authentic explanations to why the youths would recline on powers gotten by resorting to involvements in activities in some clandestine groups is embedded in the crave for shortcuts to fame, affluence and undeserved recognition in the society.

    Fame does not fall from the blues. Fame is a consequence of positive inputs through sustained efforts targeted towards achieving a goal. Invariably, a goal set, backed up by an odyssey of sustained positive efforts, attract ‘positive results’ which is the record maker and the crown of fame.

    The success stories of the likes of Mark Zukerberg (the creator of the Facebook) Orville and Wilbur Wright (the inventors of the vintage plane) Carl Benz (the brain behind the vintage motor car) and in our immediate environment, Ayade – a renowned inventor in the records of legends in Cross River state can best suggest HARD WORK AND PERSEVERANCE as recipe to make fame and not any sort of hasty approach that infringes on the peace, prospect and prosperity of others.

    To single out our own legend, Ayade, credible historical materials has a narrative that he rose from grass to grace through an odyssey of hard work and perseverance. According to his humble, but heartwarming recurrent submission on his long walk to freedom from poverty, he recalls how he sold banana as part of the elements of his struggles to break the strings of poverty that every individual who is not born with a silver spoon has to grapple with. A brief story by the legend himself on how he rose to fame as contained in the Diary of Legend, by Freeman Ogar, lends an eye opener to trace the right path to fame – a path that is divorced from fraud and all forms of illegal crave for wealth.

    “I want to pass a message to all youths of Cross River State in particular, and indeed, Nigeria. You will draw meaningful inspiration from my experiences as you pay keen attention. As a young man, I went to my father to mortgage his only bicycle to enable him pay my School Fees. When we got to the “big man’s” house, we were told that he was sleeping. We waited for over five hours and finally, we were instructed to leave and come back by 2pm the same day. We only understood later that while we waited, he had already gone out through the back door. We returned at exactly 2pm to the man’s house and waited again up to 5pm and eventually showed up. He owed nobody an apology.

    “I can’t see anybody today”, the ‘big man’ said. And after this, he disappeared quickly before anybody could say a word. I took that as the biggest challenge of my life. I ministered to myself and immediately, I returned to my father and told him that ‘if we walked away with this bicycle instead of the money we asked for, we will never be here again’. I promised my father that that day will be the last day we will seek for help in our family. I vowed that by the time I get to that stage I will be bigger than the man. We returned to the village disappointed.

    I stayed with my aunty and we decided to go into petty trading while I went to school at the same time. I hawked banana and groundnuts. The moment I returned from school everyday I would be on my way to selling my goods”.

    His striking specific word for the youths with “big eyes” is encapsulated in his expression: “If you declare money wanted, like every other thing, money will run away”! But when you put service first, money will come as a by-product”.

    What was not included in the narrative above or has not stood the test of time in any manual as tool for success is the “technical know how on how to bring someone down as a ladder to take you up”. The closest, easiest, but most authentic and remarkable manual on how to conquer ignorance and poverty to achieve self discovery and discovery of positive path to fame is inscribed in the biography of Ayade under the two key words, “hard work and perseverance” and not through irrational pursuits for wealth.

    Yes, like Ayade opined,  if you declare money or fame wanted, like every other thing, the money or fame will run away. The Diary of Legend, a compendium of the secret of the rise of heroes in the society is a must read.  The writer, Freeman Ogar exhausted sound intellectual energy to present in simple diction and concepts the factors that serve as ladder for the elevation of ordinary men in the society to admirable social status-fame-in their youth.

  • The Bakassi Deep Seaport, The Export Opportunities, And The New Economic Architecture

    Modern Global economic integration creates a platform that recognizes individuals, sovereign nations, subsidiary States and giant conglomerates of multinational status as EQUAL ACTORS. It is by this, that Cross River, as a subsidiary of Nigeria is qualified to go into international economic/commercial relations in areas of her comparative advantage like the exports of cocoa, cassava and industrial starch. As I have said earlier, there is no society along the maritime-line that has ever been poor, in history. Therefore, Cross River takes an exception to any of such outlier positions to this reality.

    By volume of cocoa production, Ivory Coast is leading the world at the average of 1.65million metric tonnes of cocoa beans every year that is used in the manufacturing of chocolate which amounts to 33% of cocoa produced in the world. This is followed by Indonesia, Ghana and Nigeria. In Nigeria, Cross River produces the average of four hundred thousand metric tonnes(400,000) of cocoa, yearly which accounts for about 60% of the total cocoa produced in the country, followed by Ondo State.

    It will be important to note that most of the Ivory Coast Cocoa farms are situated close to the Abidjan Seaport with 11.6m draught which makes it possible for shipments of cocoa out of the port by mother vessels to be made. This is the major reason why Ivory Coast is leading because  she easily meets with the growing demand of cocoa in the world which is being supplied at the global market with ease.

    The reason why the above analysis is necessary is because, the only way of translating these volumes of cocoa productions and other cash crops into economic reality that will be meaningful to the state, is to look for a functional maritime export channel with proximity advantage to  these farms. Given that Ikom, as the major producer of cocoa in the state is less than 4 hours from Bakassi, the construction of the Bakassi Deep Seaport becomes an urgent necessity. Once the state production in cocoa has an appreciative export value, the volume of cocoa production will automatically double within the shortest space of time because, motivations in cocoa farming will, naturally, be elicited.

    While Abidjan Seaport has the draught of 11.6m, Bakassi Deep Seaport has 16m draught which means huge departures of cocoa from our shores which means MONEY, aside other multiplier outcomes. But for now since the state does not have a functional seaport, most of the cocoa produced from Ikom are pushed, individually, through Cameroun port, which diminishes the export value of our cocoa.

    Moreover, Cross River is the second largest producer of cassava in the country after Ogun state, and Nigeria is the largest producer of cassava in the world. In the 2016 Budget, there is a plan for private investors to facilitate the production of industrial starch out of cassava, and if this happens with the Bakassi Deep Seaport in place, Cross River will be the largest exporter of industrial starch in the world because Ogun will either rely on Apapa Port, O’nel or Bakassi Port which are very far.

    To this end, the Bakassi Deep Seaport is going to be very consequential in shaping the economic architecture of the state; from subsistent/plantation economy and civil service oriented society to an industrially viable economy of global pedestal where cross river shall occupy prime position at the front burner of global economic/commercial integration.

    In my next discussion, I shall project to the public, the current state of the Bakassi Deep Seaport with specific reference to what has been done so far. Feel free to ask questions. You are the maker of government and government exists because of you. It is your right to know what is happening, as it is our obligation to provide you with such information. Do not see the government as “a Leviathan” because the social contract was signed for your convenience and comfort.

    Eval Asikong is the S.A. to the Governor on Social Media