Cross River State governor, Prof. Ben Ayade, has declared that
he would concentrate efforts in overseeing the completion of his industrialization
projects spread across the State in his second.
Ayade who was decked in casuals, which according to him, was a reflection of
his desire to spend more time outside the office inspecting projects, made the
declaration at the U. J. Esuene Stadium in Calabar during his swearing in
ceremony.
He said his new role going forward will be to personally oversee the completion
of projects while his Deputy would function as acting governor.
The governor disclosed that in addition to completing ongoing projects
including his signature projects, the Bakassi deep seaport and 276 kilometers
superhighway, he will also site new industries in the few local government
areas without industries.
According to Governor Ayade, “I will ensure that Cross River will become
an industrialized state under my watch in spite of the ceding of oil wells,
which was illegal. Cross River will grow into a self actualization State
in my second term.”
Continuing, Ayade said: “I will make sure that my entire signature
projects and others will be completed, so that Cross River becomes fully
industrialised as every local government will have at least one industry.
“Be committed and remain steadfast as Cross River will be an industrialised
state under my watch. In my second tenure, I will no longer be the governor, my
deputy will be the acting governor while I will become the project
manager of Cross River state as I will relocate to Ikom LGA.”
Emphasising the thrust of his second term, Governor offered: “My second term
will be defined by the policy of food on the table, hands on the plight. As I
have always insisted, no amount of investment in infrastructure will be
equivalent to taking care of the well being of the people like paying salaries
and employing them. We must understand that anytime our problems can only be
solved by money, then our intellect has failed us,” Ayade stated.
The governor who described the ceding of Bakassi as illegal and the 76 oil
wells to Akwa Ibom as hurting said Cross River has been abused and reduced in
body and soul.
He called on President Mohamamadu Buhari to help the people of the state,
adding that all Cross Riverians should get ready because the Federal government
must tell the state what it (Cross River state ) has done wrong.
He said: “The ceding of Bakassi and our oil well is unacceptable where a
country took our oil wells and gave to a state that has more. Cross River feels
highly hurt, we have been abused and reduced in body and soul but we are on a
voyage of self actualisation as a state,” he said.