Month: March 2024

The 10th Cross River State House of Assembly, led by the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Elvert Ayambem has recovered some state-owned construction equipment following an investigation into the misappropriation of 34 State-owned heavy-duty construction equipment by certain government officials during the administration of former governor Ayade.

Recall that on Thursday 22nd February 2024, the House of Assembly unanimously reaffirmed their commitment to the recovery of the construction equipment and demanded that the perpetrators of this fraudulent scheme face justice. Sequel to the Assembly’s investigative resolution, some of the construction equipment recovered and taken into the State’s custody includes 1 1050k Dozzer, 1 payloader, 1 Grader, 1 850J Dozer, 1 Backo, and 2 Excavators.

Acknowledging the arrival of the state-owned heavy-duty equipment in Calabar, Rt. Hon. Elvert Ayambem clarified that while 23 heavy-duty trucks and equipment remain on the site to be transported back to Calabar, 7 of the equipment have been successfully recovered to Calabar. He said that the slow movement to Calabar was caused by a lack of high-powered transportation vessels. The recovery exercise, he vowed, will continue into the next week.

Ayambem reaffirmed the House of Assembly’s steadfast dedication to recovering all of the 30 stolen pieces of equipment and making sure that the people, who constitute every democracy’s greatest asset, are receiving their dividends from the government. He continued by saying that the Cross River State Government will save more than 50 billion naira by recovering the heavy-duty equipment, which was originally used for rentals and the purchase of new machinery.

The speaker also emphasised that to fulfil the people’s first mantra, the 10th Assembly will keep backing the government led by Governor Otu to return Cross River to a model state.

A group under the aegis of the Coalition of Cross River State Law Graduates has written to the Cross River State Government led by the Executive Governor, Sen. (Prince) Bassey Otu seeking support for registration into Law School.

The letter reads:

Coalition of Cross River Law Graduates,
Cross Rier State, Calabar,
1st March, 2024.

His Excellency,
Sen. (Prince) Bassey Edet Otu,
Executive Governor of Cross River State,

Through: Secretary to the State Government,
Cross River State.

His Excellency,

REQUEST FOR LAW SCHOOL GRANT FOR CROSS RIVER STATE INDIGENES

It is with the weight of our aspirations that we write to you, Your Excellency. The coalition of Cross River Law Graduates is the umbrella body of all Indigenes of Cross River State who are Graduates of Law and are awaiting to go to the Nigerian Law School to qualify for the Call to the Bar. The purpose of this Union is to strengthen all Law Graduates across Cross River State to achieve different crucial objectives in Cross River.

We congratulate Your Excellency on your well-deserved victory in the just concluded 2023 elections. We have faith in your capacity to lead Cross River to a greater height.

Your Excellency, the Union understands the PEOPLE FIRST manifesto especially as it has been evident in the prioritization of education. The payment of the WAEC registration fee for Indigenes of Cross River State and ongoing renovation of the state Library Complex amongst other dividends of democracy you are delivering in so short a time tells of your commitment to not just governance but the development of human capital.
On that note, we, The Coalition of Cross River Law Graduates, are soliciting your extended gesture. The Law School fees are now on the high side, and it has imposed serious financial constraints on most of the qualified Law School candidates which may result in them not attending Law School by April.

The situation has been worsened by the economic hardship that has hit the country.
Specifically, the fee alone stands at N476,000.00(Four hundred and seventy-six thousand naira)

We, the union, seek the distinguished support of Your Excellency to help our members become Barristers and Solicitors of the Supreme Court of Nigeria. Your financial aid will turn these young men and women into productive professionals who will contribute meaningfully for the good of our dear State and the general society.

Your Excellency, the Union humbly requests and is looking forward to having an audience with you to pay a solidarity visit as regards our humble request and other sundry issues affecting us.

We will be grateful if our appeal receives your kind consideration.

Yours sincerely,

Comr. Egba, Victor Emmanuel,
Chairman,
The Coalition of Cross River Law Graduates.
(07053006545)

Comrade Patrick A. Ofana,
Secretary_General, The Coalition of Cross River Law Graduates.
(0802 828 5558)

Agatha Ogenye
Treasurer
09031888940

The National Secretary of the Forum of States Independent Electoral Commissions of Nigeria (FOSIECON) and Chairman of the Cross River State Independent Electoral Commission (CROSIEC) Associate Prof. Mike Ushie, has emphasised the significance of local government elections, saying that their conduct will foster economic growth and lessen the poverty and hardship that currently exist.

Associate Professor Mike Ushie made this known as a guest lecturer during the two-day pre-election training and enlightenment seminar for board members, staff, and shareholders in the election process on “Effective Conduct of the 2024 Local Government Election” hosted by the Akwa Ibom State Independent Electoral Commission (AKISIEC) on Tuesday, March 5–6, 2024, in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.

Mike Ushie in his presentation on the “Emerging Issues in Local Government Elections in Nigeria”, discussed issues of independence and funding, integrity and transparency of SIECs, cooperation by the shareholders and political parties, vote buying or trading, electoral violence, voters’ apathy, electronic voting option, etc as issues that must be addressed to ensure a smooth, free, fair and credible election in the third tier of governance.

The CROSIEC Chairman also stated that the conduct of the Local Government elections will encourage participation and give the local voters a sense of belonging. He pointed out that each local government council will engage a good number of elected officials and appointees as families will be touched as a consequence.

Additionally, the guest lecturer seeks cooperation, understanding, and support from the governments, especially at this critical moment of our National life.

The Cross River State House of Assembly Committee on Public Account (PAC) has begun its oversight function on Local Governments across the State, beginning from the Northern Senatorial District of State.

The Chairman of the Committee Hon. Odey Brian Wonah, a member representing Yala 1 State Constituency, said the essence of the oversight was to streamline activities in the local government, adding that it is the constitutional responsibility of the House Public Account Committee to oversight the State in income and expenditure.

Wonah, expressed displeasure with revenue heads in the local government saying some of the revenue heads were not properly utilized thereby the local government to lose revenue. He charged the HOLGAs to work out modalities to boost the revenue profile of their respective local governments.

In addition, a few Committee members and ex-officio members, including Hon. Samuel Neji Bang Ikom I, Hon. Agiji Idaga Martins Achadu Yala II, Hon. Pius Ashakia Obanliku, and Hon. Okon Nyong Owuna Akamkpa I, expressed their dissatisfaction with the revenue being generated in the local government areas of Obanliku and Obudu that they had visited. They suggested that the HOLGAs investigate potential leaks among revenue heads to increase local government revenue.

They also stressed that all documents should be submitted to the Committee for thorough review and voiced their displeasure with the lack of pertinent documents, as stated in the letter sent to the various LGAs.

The HOLGA of Obanliku Local Government, Mrs. Obun Mary N., responded by thanking the committee for coming, saying that she knew the visit would benefit the local government. She also assured the committee that all revenue leakages would be fixed, adding that they had already begun working on it.

In an interview, Obudu LGA Chief Nike Egbanabo, the HOLGA, took advantage of the opportunity to urge the government to reduce overhead so that the council could complete some urgent projects. He also mentioned that the council secretariat needed to be renovated.

He stated that this year will see an improvement in revenue generation, given the challenges the council has faced in raising funds over the previous few years, despite their best efforts.

The headcount of the employees in the various Local Governments, as stated in the letter sent to them, was the highlight of the visit.

By Matthew Okache (Chief Press Secretary to the Speaker)

 

In order to support President Bola Tinubu and Governor Bassey Otu in their never-ending efforts to tackle the state’s and the nation’s overall economic problems, Senator Asuquo Asuquo ‘Suki’ Ekpenyong, who represents the Cross River South Senatorial District, has pleaded with his constituents to do so.

He said this on Saturday, March 2, 2024, at Government Primary School, Ikot Nakanda, Akpabuyo Local Government Area, during the distribution of food and relief supplies to more than a thousand people living in his district. In keeping with Senator Ekpenyong’s food programme, the event will be held throughout the entire Senatorial District.

The Senator who was represented by Mr Edem Ekpo Bassey, an aide of the Senator stressed that the intervention is to complement the effort of the State Governor, Senator Bassey Edet Otu in providing succour to Cross Riverians, as a way to cushion the current economic hardship.

The initiative garnered widespread appreciation from beneficiaries who expressed gratitude to the Senator for the kind and compassionate gesture.

Mrs. Inyang Success, a recipient of the food items, emphasized the profound impact of Senator Ekpenyong’s generosity, stating, “His support has brought a ray of hope to our homes during these challenging times.”

Similarly, Mrs Emmanuella Etim, commended the Senator’s dedication to uplifting the community, noting, “Senator Ekpenyong’s assistance has not only provided essential supplies but has also restored their faith in his leadership ability to prioritize the wellbeing of his people.”

Several hundreds of bags of Rice, Beans, Garri, Mattresses, Blankets and some other household items were equally distributed to the beneficiaries. Present at the distribution exercise were the Chapter and Ward Women Leaders from Calabar South, Akpabuyo, and Bakassi LGAs.

The Cross River State House of Assembly has exposed a tangled web of corruption, as state-owned heavy-duty construction equipment mysteriously vanished, leading to colossal financial losses for the government.

The investigation is the 10th Assembly’s commitment to dismantling the nefarious racketeering surrounding 34 pieces of heavy-duty equipment, including excavators, dozers, graders, and pelodars. Acquired during Sen. Prof. Ben Ayade’s administration, these crucial assets disappeared during the transition, prompting the government to incur substantial expenses renting its equipment.

Rt. Hon. Elvert Ayambem, Speaker of the Cross River State House of Assembly, declared a total commitment to unveil the truth behind this scandal. Interrogating Hon. Pius Edet, Commissioner for Works, and Charles Inah, Administrative Officer at the Cross River State Agricultural Company, revealed shocking insights into the pervasive contractors exploiting the state’s resources.

The revelation highlighted that the equipment, initially under the Ministry of Agriculture during Hon. Okon Owuna’s commissionership, mysteriously vanished during the handover. These missing assets were later traced to external rentals, with millions funneling into the private account of Ibrahim, representing Zaka Global Company, as disclosed by the special standing Committee.

The House unanimously called for justice against the conspirators of this fraudulent scheme, urging the retrieval of funds and summoning the Commissioner for Aviation and other critical stakeholders for questioning regarding their roles in the affair.

“The disappearance of these vital assets cannot be overlooked in a state that cherishes its resources,” says Speaker Ayambem. The House stressed the imperative need to locate and recover the equipment to support the current administration of Sen. Prince Bassey Otu in its mission for success.

The Cross River State House of Assembly stands resolute in its pursuit of accountability, vowing to bring those responsible for this heinous act to justice and reclaim the state’s valuable resources for the benefit of its people.

Matthew Okache
Chief Press Secretary to the Speaker
01/03/2024

Participants in a three-day capacity development workshop organized by the Federal Ministry of Innovation, Science, and Technology in collaboration with the State’s Ministry of Science and Technology have been given a charge by the Ministry’s Commissioner, Dr. Justin Beshel to apply the knowledge gained from the workshop to increase human capacity and agricultural production in the Cross River State.

The Cross River State Commissioner for Science, Technology, and Innovation, Dr Justin Beshel, gave the charge on Friday, 1st March 2024, at the end of the workshop which was held at Gomays Plaza, Calabar.

During the workshop, trainees were taught about various aspects of agriculture, including crop cultivation, animal husbandry, and food processing. Dr. Beshel urged the trainees to make use of the skills and knowledge they had acquired during the workshop and start small while waiting for government support.

Dr. Beshel also promised the trainees government support in the form of materials and equipment empowerment to enter the real farming field. He encouraged the trainees to take advantage of the opportunity to learn and make a positive impact in their communities by serving as trainers to other Cross Riverians in the agricultural field.

The Commissioner expressed gratitude to Governor Bassey Otu for creating an enabling environment to foster science and technology in the state. He urged the trainees to spread Otu’s benevolence and goodwill towards empowering Cross Riverians.

Additionally, some of the participants noted that the workshop was a great success while explaining that they were equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge to contribute to the development of agriculture in Cross River State. They also hope that they will put what they have learned into practice and help to improve the state’s agricultural sector. Cash gifts and certificates were given to all participants.