Paradise News

Category: Politics

  • Environmental tax will sanitize our environment – Cross River State Commissioner

    In the bid to sanitize the environment in Cross River State, the State government may soon introduce an environmental tax.

    The new initiative is to further enhance the safety and health of the environment in the state.

    Disclosing this on a radio program, Ayade’s Cross River, on CRBC, an initiative of the Governor’s Office Media Unit, anchored by the trio of Beatrice Akpala, Emmanuel Ulayi and Solomon Asha, the state commissioner for forestry and climatic  change, Mrs. Alice Ekwu said “Very soon, pending on the approval of His Excellency the Governor, we will start collecting taxes from Business owners that have businesses that affects the environmental climate of the state directly or indirectly”

    The measure which will be in partnership with the ministry of environment, she added is to ensure proper management of what goes into the atmosphere.

    According to her the development is to ensure proper management of what goes into the atmosphere and we are going to do that in partnership with the State Ministry of Environment.

    “The trees we planted during the carnivals are doing wonderfully well and we will continue planting more tress. We encourage Cross Riverians to plant more tress. It is no longer news that the Governor has started a superhighway that will serve as an evacuation corridor for goods that will be coming into the state through the seaport and will definitely boost the economy of the state.

    The construction of the superhighway has attracted criticism from some members of the public as regards the impact it will create on the forestry environment and communities around the area; the ministry has been mandated with the responsibility of ensuring that any tree that will be cut-down during this construction process will be replaced. The ministry is doing a lot to ensure Calabar remains clean and green; this is in collaboration with the state ministry of environment.

    Also speaking on the program on how the state can generate huge revenues from her forest potentials, the Special Adviser Biodiversity and conservation, barrister   Edet okon Asim said “Cross River State has one of the largest and natural forests in Sub-Saharan Africa and they are some species of trees in this forest that many people don’t know exist there.

    To this end, he disclosed that there are plans to showcase all of these to the world to know what is in Cross River State.

    According to him they are ongoing plans to cultivate the tourism potentials in these forests, so as to publicize it and show tourist and people all around the world, what is obtainable in the forestry sector of the state.

    The special adviser further revealed that the state can borrow a leaf by embracing the California example by making huge fortune from her forest reservation as a tourist site.

    His words:”there is a tree in California, a bristlecone pine that attracts tourists from all over the world just to have a glimpse of this tree, the tree believed to be 4,845 years, known to be the oldest tree in the world.

    “Cross River State has one of the largest and natural forest in Sub-Saharan Africa and they are some species of trees in this forest that many people don’t know exist there and there are plans to showcase all of these to the world to know what is in Cross River State .They are ongoing plans to cultivate the tourism potentials in this forests son as publicize it and show tourist and people all around the world, what is obtainable in the forestry sector of the state.”

  • PDP will continue to win in Rivers State – Governor Wike

    Well, it’s not a new thing concerning the cancellation of elections in Rivers State, but the current Governor has made it clear in a statement that whether they run the elections 200 times, it will be the same results.

    Wike who also stated that; “They are only postponing the day of reckoning. They are trying to cover the political inadequacies of one man.

    “They say they don’t want him to be embarrassed. But there is no embarrassment. It is the voice of the people that matter.

    “Elections are the prerogative of the people. It has nothing to do with the political image of anyone.” Governor Wike.

    Sakpenwa-Bori Road

    Meanwhile, Governor has already commenced the work on the dualization of the Sakpenwa -Bori Road to the heart of Ogoni land. A historic flagship project of Governor Wike.

  • The Bakassi Deep Seaport; a Nature gift to the Bakassi IDPs, Bakassi People – Senator Ita Giwa

    “The Bakassi Deep Seaport; a Nature gift to the Bakassi IDPs, Bakassi People, Cross River State and Nigeria at large.”- Senator Ita Giwa. 

    In the US Democratic National Convention recently,  one of the speaker on day four, Rev.  William Barber, the President of North Carolina NAACP. A leader in the fight against restrictive voting rights Laws in North Carolina, said,  “In my heart I’m troubled, and I’m worried by the way that faith is cynically used by some to serve hate, fear, racism and greed.”

    He continued, “Jesus, a brown-skinned Palestinian Jew, called us to preach good news to the poor, the broken, and the bruised, and all those that have been made feel unacceptable.”

    I was quickly taken back to Senator Ita Giwa’s answer to a question during press briefing on May 27th, 2016. “How best can the government put to an end the sufferings of our Bakassi Internally Displaced Brothers?” Her answer was, “Government must first stop giving fish to the people which is what has been going on, for this has proven to be palliative measures, and start truly teaching the people how to fish through deliberate  infrastructural development that will create an enabling environment for fishing.”

    She added, “in all my time and period of fighting to see that my people are taken care of, the Bakassi Deep Seaport idea, came as a Nature gift for the IDPs,  Bakassi People in general, Cross River State and indeed Nigeria at large.”


    How does these relate to us as a people? 

    Rev. William said he represented no organisation but is a conservative who work to conserve  the divine  traditions that teaches us to do justice, love, mercy and work humbly with our God. He felt that the US Democracy is in Line, come November. To him, “a season when some want to harden and stop the heart of our democracy, all are called like our foremothers and fathers to be the moral defibrillators of our time.”

    Patriotic Politics of Moral good standing for the rights of all, against our traditional Nigeria Politics of serving for ones pocket. The Good and the Bad. When in danger, we call the emergency code. Why? To get aid, relief and succour. Most times, these are only “palliative measures” as Ma Ita Giwa puts it. We normally shy away from the core primary causes and depend on the secondary causes, thereby, surface dressing issues.

    Today, we have Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), among us, this is not the primary cause but secondary. And to solve a primary cause we must approach it with a primary solution. Primary solutions are not Political gimmicks or abracadabras.

    Primary solutions requires Political and economic wills, desires, faith, integrity,  honesty,  character,  courage, dexterity,  ability and above all collaborations. Far away from looking  for who to blame, creating excuses and alibis to justify our lacks when problems show their faces. Playing Death Politics with our very core norms of existence and growth.

    Rev. Barber said, “We must shock this nation with the power of love. We must shock this nation with the power of mercy. We must shock this nation and fight for justice for all.”

    The shock of the nation started 29th May 2015 with the pronouncement of the Governor Ayade “Signature Projects.” We must threrefore, without let up, keep shocking the nation with love, mercy and fight for justice for the Bakassi IDPs and Cross River State at large, as we stand up as one people to say yes to the superhighway and the Bakassi Deep Seaport.

    As we fight to make sure these projects become a reality,  we return our core norms of love, mercy and justice taken away not only from the Bakassi People, but from us all as a State. We must therefore, recreate our link with nature and accept her gifts. For as we do that, we are reviving the heart of  our core heritage.


    “Replace the I with We spirit, together we are stronger.”



    ~Inok Solomon

  • Is Buhari’s regime the best? Check out made in Nigeria rice (Photos)

    People are now beginning to thank President Muhammadu Buhari over the production of Nigeria made rice. The rice was made and parked in Niger State and it’s locally produced with rice being farmed here in Nigeria.

    Read Also | Cross Riverians frown at Government over Obudu Rice (Photos)

    A comment from some Nigerians though stated as follows;

    “This is made in Nigeria rice, my brother just bought it now. God bless Buhari for removing our eyes from chemically induced foreign rice. Nigeria is rising again.”

    Others are mumbling, pointing the fact that the government haven’t put anything in the agro sector, that it’s the former administration’s work that is paying.

    Anyways, check out the photos of the made in Nigeria rice below and have your say…

  • CRS Target Zero Mother To Child Transmission (MTCT) Of HIV & AIDS In 2020 AS 5 Days Training Of Health Workers End

    CROSS RIVER STATE TARGET ZERO MOTHER TO CHILD TRANSMISSION (MTCT)  OF HIV & AIDS IN 2020 AS 5 DAYS PMTCT TRAINING OF STATE AND PHC HEALTH WORKERS ENDS:

    Three years developmental plan for Elimination of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV & AIDS training of State Health workers, LGA PHC Coordinators, M&E health officers ended on Friday 29th July, 2016 at Mary Ekpiken Hall, Channel View Hotels, Calabar.

    According to one of the facilitating agency, United Nation Population Fund ( UNFPA) spokesperson, Keneth Ehouzou said eliminating mother to child transmission of HIV and AIDS (EMTCT) remain an important public health problem of great significance in sub Saharan Africa, including Nigeria which Cross River State is inclusive. He said Cross River and Kaduna have been chosen by UNAIDS as a focus area for the project.

    “We are supporting CRS to develop a plan to reduce MTCT of HIV & AIDS. The plan will be streamlined with the strategic health development plan of Ministry of Health and State Primary Healthcare Agency multi-year operational plan for 3 years said Ehouzou.

    Speaking, Dr Betta Edu, DG, CRS Primary Health Care Development Agency who represented the Honorable Commissioner for Health Dr Inyang Asibong at the openning ceremony said she was grateful to Unicef for sponsoring this project. She noted that over 58% of pregnant women across the state do not know their HIV Status and for the state to succeed in this project it must find innovative ways of reaching out to pregnant women even in the communities. She also emphasised on integration of services as a strategy to achieve more results in eliminating mother to child transmission of HIV. while urging Cross Riverians to go and check themselves at the nearest Health facility.  “Our digital Governor, Sen (Prof) Ben Ayade and his wife Dr Linda Ayade are very interested in the total elimination of mother to child transmission of HIV & AIDS in the state. They have pledged to support the process till its attainment in 2020.

    According to her it is expected that the implementation of this framework by the foot soilders, front line health workers and partners will significantly reduce the burden of MTCT of HIV in CRS & Nigeria in line with the Presidential directives which declared PMTCT of HIV & AIDS a priority for National response in the country. Finally she said it will provide access to at least 90% of HIV exposed infants to more efficacious ARV Prophylaxis by 2017.

    Speaking also, Dr Inyang Asibong, Hon commissioner of Health CRS thanked UNFPA and UNICEF for the support towards developing this plan. She assured them of the support of His Excellency, Prof Ben Ayade on this elimination process of MTCT. She said the 3 year plan will reduce mother to child transmission of HIV & AIDS in CRS while urging everyone involved in the developmental plan to do everything humanly to achieved success at the end of the project.

    Closing the training, the state Governor Sen. Prof Ben Ayade represented by Hon (Dr). Ekpo Ekpo Bassey, House committee chairman on health and member representing Bakassi State Constituency in the CRSHA, noted that the training was very essential for health workers in the state as eliminating mother to child transmission of HIV&AIDS and ending the virus is one of their priority in this dispensation. He said already a strategic health plan for the state and multi year operational plan for primary health is on course which would define our focus areas for successful implementation. He assured them that the house is fully in support of the project.

    Finally the PHC coordinator of Biase, Mrs Lilly Ettah thanked the partners and state government for granting them this opportunity to be part of the developmental plan for PMTCT, in the state. She eulogize the state governor, commissioner and DG for successfully flagging of the project while assuring the partners of their total commitment to the elimination program.

  • Gov Ayade SA Visits PHED (NEPA) For Engagement Of More Cross Riverians In The Company

    On a hint that there are hidden employments going on in the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHED), Calabar Branch, the Special Adviser (SA) to the Cross River State Governor on Job Placement/Creation, Hon William Esu immediately paid a courtesy call on the the Head of the Integrated Business Centre of the PHED of the Calabar Branch, Mr Chinwo George Amaewhule to solicit for the engagements of more Cross Riverians in the company.

    Mr Chinwo George explained that there is nothing as such, but that the company is in the regularization process of only pole climbers to become main staff of the company. This is because of the incident that happened in Port Harcourt where a pole-climber, who is a casual staff, was electrocuted and died, which led to the dismissal of the Manager. This made the company to come up with the policy of converting all casual staff, basically pole-climbers to regular staff of the company. He went further to say that their Graduate Trainee Scheme/Empoyment is often advertised and done online.

    However, the S.A. Job Placement appealed that the employment process of junior and intermediary staff of the company should be done in collaboration with the Job Placement/Creation Department of the Governor’s Office, Calabar. This is because, the Local Content Policy, basically, emphasises on the employment of indigenes, mostly when it concerns lower positions. Therefore, it is the department of Job Placement that can actually identify who the indigenes are.

    He went further to say that the Governor is devoted to, decisively, deal with unemployment situation in the state. Therefore, no stone shall be left unturned in pursuing this noble intent of the Governor. The Calabar PHED Manager promised to cooperate with the Department and the state government in all ramifications.

    Reported By Eval Asikong (S.A. New Media)

  • July 29: A Significant Date In Nigeria’s History

    July 29 is an unforgettable date in Nigeria history. It was a date the country witnessed the overthrow of two military regimes-the first in 1966 and the second in 1975.

    It is reflection time today as Nigeria marks the 50th anniversary of July 29, 1966 coup that toppled the regime of late Major General Johnson Aguiyi Ironsi, and 42nd anniversary of the overthrow of his successor, General Yakubu Gowon on July 29 1975.

    The 1966 military putsch, which was dubbed counter-coup to Nigeria’s first coup of January 15, 1966, claimed the live of Ironsi and the then military Governor of Western Region, late Lt.  Colonel Francis Adekunle Fajuyi, among several others.

    Ironsi was only 6 months in power. Conversely,the one that deposed Gowon after being in power for nine years were bloodless.

    Ironsi seized power in the ensuing chaos following the January coup and was in Ibadan as part of his reconciliation tour after the first coup which saw the killing of mostly prominent Northern politicians and army officers, when he and Fajuyi were arrested and murdered by a group of mutinous soldiers of Northern extraction.

    More to follow…

    [George’s print]

  • Taxation in Cross River State: Economic gain or loss?

    Taxation is an important source of revenue for governments globally. Payment of taxes by citizens and corporate organizations is a civic responsibility of which failure to comply is a crime.

    Effective tax administration and management is essential for good governance and the utilization of tax proceeds must be seen to bring benefits for the citizens and residents alike.

    As much as many citizens are willing to pay their taxes as at when due, some others have complained of multiple and abitrary taxation in Cross River State which is causing many businesses to shut down.

    In Sen. Prof. Benedict Ayade’s first year in office, the governor abolished taxes for small businesses and low income earners. A bill to this effect was passed by the Cross River State House of Assembly and signed into law by the governor.

    The impact of this law is yet to be seen in the state even as citizens and residents complain of the negative impact of over taxation on their businesses and the unruly behaviour of tax agents.

    This is the focus of “The Dialogue with Agba Jalingo” this week with the topic; Taxation in Cross River State: Economic gain or loss.

    With us to discuss the topic are Barr.  Greg  Okem, Director  Legal Services,  Cross River State Internal Revenue Service and Mr. Festus Mbonu Chairman Building Material Traders Association, Calabar.

    Join us on Hit 95.9 fm on Sunday 31st July, 2016 at 6pm to 7pm.

    Call in to make your contributions and ask questions.

    For adverts and sponsorship please call 07051536836

  • Bakassi IDP’s praises Governor Ayade of Cross River State, seek better living standard

    Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River has been described as a committed leader who has shown that he has the overall interest of the displaced people of Bakassi Peninsula at heart and is ready to work toward making life comfortable for the Bakassi Returnees.

    The National Coordinator of the Bakassi Returnees, Prince Astin-Joseph Inyang, stated this yesterday at the camp of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) of Bakassi returnees at Ikot Efiom/Obutong, Bakassi, at the occasion of the visit of Governor Ayade’s four media emissaries to the IDP camp.

    Inyang said that by sending four of his media aides to visit with them to see and hear their plights was a clear indication that Ayade truly has the interest of Bakassi people at heart, coupled with the fact that he has personally heard Governor Ayade in many forums spoken passionately about Bakassi people and the injustice that was meted out to them.

    He stressed the need for the Nigerian Government and the International community to cause Cameroon to respect the Green Tree Agreement signed in 2006, asserting that right from day one the Government of Cameroon has consistently violated the Green Tree Agreement to the detriment of the people of Bakassi.

    The National Coordinator of Bakassi Returnees used the occasion of the visit to passionately appealed for the immediate restoration of the Five Thousand naira Conditional Cash Transfer to the people to ameliorate their sufferings as many can no longer afford to send their child to the public primary schools, adding he also requested that two transformers be given to the IDP camp to give electric power to the camp.

    He disclosed that no Bakassi returnee has been trained on any skilled and appealed for the training of the youths of the Bakassi returnees in various vocations and trade and empower them to enable them provide for themselves, while calling on Ayade, the Federal government and the International community do urgently do something to address the injustice that has been meted out to the people of Bakassi.

    Speaking, the Village head of Efiom/Obutong Village, Chief Efiom Bassey Efiom, passionately appealed to the three tiers of government and the International community to come to their aid, while disclosing that Bakassi Returnees are not troublesome as is being peddled and that there are no militants among them, stressing that all that the people need is to live normal lives as every other Nigerian.

    Also speaking, the camp General coordinator, Moses Bassey Asuquo, also reiterated the need for the governments at all levels including the UNO to pay adequate attention to addressing the plights of the people of Bakassi, who according to him have been used as sacrificial lambs to keep the peace between Nigeria and Cameroon, and the need to call Cameroon to order to stop killing Bakasians fishermen and to release all Bakassi people and other Nigerians illegally detained in Cameroon prisons.

    A woman leader, Ekpo Asuquo Eyo, reiterated the fact that there were no militants among the returnees in the camp, the need for the immediate restoration of the conditional cash transfer and training of their youths in various trades and vocations, while thanking Governor Ayade for sending people to come and hear from them.

    On his part, Chief Okon Asuquo Okon thanked the governor for sending people to come and her from them and pleaded that greeter attention be paid to their welfare while at the same time stressed the need for government to do something Bakassi people detained by Cameroon government.

    In his address, the President, “De Voice of Displaced Bakassi Youths of Nigeria” Mr. Linus Asuquo Essien lamented the abuse of the human rights of the people by the Cameroon government and the neglect by the government of Nigeria for the past eight years right from 2008 when the territory was handed over to Cameroon, asked that a monthly stipend of at least Twenty Thousand (N20, 000.00) Naira only be given to each of the returnee to help them pay their children school fees.

    He called on the Nigerian government to liaise with the Camerounian authority to protect Nigerian fishermen in the ceded territory as well as help secure the release of those in prisons in Cameroon, and that government should provide scholarship or the displaced Bakassi youths to continue their school at various levels, provide skill acquisition to those living in the IDP camp as well as the provision of pipe borne water, electricity and adequate accommodation including recreational facilities, health centre among others.

    Essien also called on the Federal government and the UN to expedite action at resettling of Bakassi returnees and the need for the state and federal governments to take the complaints of the people of Bakassi seriously, adding he thanked governor Ayade for taking a personal interest on the people of Bakassi.

    Earlier, the Special Assistant to the governor on Electronic Media, Miss Beatrice Akpala informed the people that the media team was sent by the governor to interface with the people to hear their complaints and to assure them that the governor and the entire state are standing by the Bakassi returnees.

    Akpala said that the present administration in the state led by Senator Ben Ayade is committed to pursuing projects and programmes that would help to add value to the people of Bakassi and the state in general, and charged them to be patient and avoid any act that is not in line with the tenet of peace and harmony in the state.

    Speaking also, the Special Assistant to the Governor on Media, Solomon Asha, assured the Bakassi Returnees that Governor Ayade is passionately committed to making life bearable within the limit of the state resources and that he has the passion to fight for their due to be given to them, asserting that the governor feel the way[M_1]  they, the Bakassi returnees feels, he is touched by the current plights of the people

    Asha told them that Ayade is fully aware of the global injustice meted to the people by the October 10, 2002 ICJ judgment and the final handing over in 2008, but that there was every need for the people to remain strong and in high spirit and be supportive of Ayade’s administration, his programmes and projects, bearing in mind that they were in their darkest hour of their night which is a clear indication that the day will soon break.

    On his part the Special Assistant to the Governor on Media, Emmanuel Ulayi informed the people that at different forums Governor Ayade has spoken in clear term that he was not comfortable with the conditions of the people of Bakassi and how they were treated, and that Ayade is committed initiating programmes and projects that will be of immense benefit to the people of Bakassi.

    Ulayi assured them that Governor Ayade possess the passion and the drive to make things change for the better for the people, adding that the Bakassi Deep seaport will bring a lot of positive changes to people in that area, and charged them to continue to support the government of Ayade.

    Also another Media aide to Governor Ayade of Cross River, Paul Ojeka commended the people for being peaceful and supportive of the programmes and projects of Senator Ben Ayade, stressing that with the deep seaport, the living conditions of the people will be positively enhanced and thanked them for coming out in their numbers to welcome the governor’s representatives. visit to Bakassi returnees IDP camp was as a result of Governor Ben Ayade’s avowed commitments to ensure that challenges of the Bakassi people are adequately addressed. To this end, they called on federal government and United Nations to pay attention to their plights.

    ~Emmanuel Ulayi 

  • Gov Ayade Donates Patrol Van For Nigerian Peace Corps In Calabar (Photos)

    The able Cross River State Governor, Prof. Ben Ayade  has donated a Patrol Van For the Cross River State Command of Nigerian Peace Corps through the Ministry of Education.

    Indeed, Ayade’s administration is being exceptional and showing greater heights amidst his compatriots. By so doing, the governor ensures he keeps his words.

    Read Also | FG to fully establish Peace Corps soonest – Patriot Okweche

    If for a year plus he’s able to build the state and change it economy to fastest growing in the country, then, perhaps he’ll do well in the next years to come.

    See photos during the presentation of the van below…