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Tag: Ayade

  • Ayade won’t introduce new taxes in Cross River

    Ayade won’t introduce new taxes in Cross River

    Cross River State Governor Ben Ayade has said his administration will not impose new taxes on the people.

    Instead, the governor pledged, it would harness the state’s natural resources to better the lot of the people.

    He said his administration’s core role is to protect the governed.

    Ayade spoke at the weekend in Calabar, the state capital, after listening to a presentation by a consulting firm and a bank on how to increase the state’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) with the introduction of new tax heads.

    The governor, who regretted that the model the investors presented, which had worked in Lagos and Ogun states to boost their IGR, would rather add to the hardship among Cross River residents.

    He said: “I want you to sympathise with the state of Cross River. We are a state whose corporate philosophy is bringing government to the people that need it the most. We are a people who believe in the Afro-centric theory of providing a shoulder for your tired brother to lean on.

    “If we deepen this theory, it might come to a point when there is a Kantian impression that tends to equate government and the economy in such a way that the government’s core role in Cross River State is to protect the governed. There is no developmental effort, no deliberate effort of raising IGR that will be premised on taxing your people to prosperity. As a government that has a corporate conscience, at any point you put a tax, you should ask yourself what you are giving to the people in return.”

    Ayade added: “When I do the Home Certification Process at a cost to a man who is a civil servant, I will be putting an extra burden on a shoulder, which is tired, with a deliberate struggle to see how I can get money and raise my IGR. I might celebrate the N11 billion in three months, but I have put one of my citizens out there in a bigger pain.

    “I don’t believe in taxing people to raise money; I believe in tasking my brain to raise money. The kind of programme you will bring to me that will excite me is the kind that will take advantage of our natural resources and convert them to wealth.”

  • Ayade backs Fed Govt’s anti-graft war

    Ayade backs Fed Govt’s anti-graft war

    Cross River State Governor Ben Ayade has backed the anti- corruption war of President Muhammadu Buhari.

    According to him, the war is necessary because of the pain, frustration and hardship Nigerians passed through over the years.

    He spoke with State House correspondents after meeting with President Buhari at the State House, Abuja.

    He said it was sad that the people were so poor in a nation abundantly blessed in natural resources.

    “It is only obvious that any serious government must take corruption seriously, and I think that is why today Nigeria is beginning to have national and international image that looks like Nigeria is getting prepared for business.

    “That is why investments are flowing into Cross River State, that is a sign that the anti-corruption war is working and it’s giving Nigeria the international image we need.”

     He also said he discussed rice production with the President.

    He said: “This is part of what I discussed with the President. Since we have special commercial credit facility for which as a state we have requested N4.8 billion. If we have that it will support us.

    “But basically in terms of the investment outlay, the investment outlay is over N10 billion and there is also a foreign element which is a function of what the foreign partners are bringing.”

  • Towards Cross River of Ayade’s dream

    Towards Cross River of Ayade’s dream

    More than seven months into the four years tenure of Governor Bene Ayade, there is no doubt that he has not only consciously worked and walked with a single purpose toward the realisation of his campaign promises. Through his superior workable concepts which endeared the people more to him, he has emerged as a leader and political  juggernaut of repute in Cross River.

    Within this period, Ayade has recorded reasonable achievements. Even the most unreasonable and greasiest of all critics knows that but deliberately concealed that within them as a result of pride and the pull him down syndrome. Others do so because they are influenced by external political forces out to get a pound of flesh on what may be seen as an attempt to get at Ayade to exert their real or imaginary vendetta.

    Ayade has been able to change the mindset of the majority of Cross Riverians from viewing themselves and the state as being poor to the realization that the most important wealth and resources of any society is a people with the right frame of mind, attitude and ideological base and culture, and not just the trillion of barrels of crude oil and other natural resources on reserve, though these natural resources are imperative and veritable stimulators of growth and development, yet not in isolation of the human resources.

    Though civil and public service jobs are a vital employment tools and developmental ingredients, Ayade has been able to positively push away the mindset and orientation of the people from being at home while being refer to as a civil service state and people to the need to break loose and make an aggressive in-road into the private sector, the world of industries and entrepreneurship and technological innovation. In Ayade, many young Cross Riverians have been able to also come to term with the eternal truth that whatsoever can be conceived by the human mind can equally be reduced into concrete term, and that all that is required is the right attitude and the push to get at one’s set goal/target.

    Again, through the dexterity, audacity and the unquenchable determination  to provide sufficient hope in the a world currently swimming in despondency due to the global economic crunch, crash in the price of oil and other commodities and to change the conventional global held economic theory that whenever there is a global recession, the work force should be drastically compress, Ayade has chosen an unfamiliar but sane path and terrain of rather providing more job opportunities to put food in the tables of thousands of families in Cross River State.

    The traditional economic theory of reducing the size of the work force whenever there is a recession is a complete negation of the economy it strives fruitlessly to revamp. The simple logic is that when there is already hardship on the people and at the same times more persons are mindlessly thrown into the unemployment market, thereby compounding the recession crises. Keeping so many persons engaged and busy turn several persons from engaging in any antisocial activities and reducing crime in the society.

    Within a short time in office, Governor Ayade has established Cross River State as an undisputable voice , advocate and leader on the battle against the increasingly surging oceans and sea level, the scourging sun heat or global warming and the Noah-like flooding being experienced global, called, “Climate Change”. Ayade who led other African governors to the 2015 Summit on climate change in Paris, France, spoke forcefully in support of the continent which suffers greatly from the activities of the multinationals and the need for the United Nations and other relevant world bodies to channel resources to assist Africa which takes the greater burden of the climate change.

    Blessed with one of the world’s best remaining rain forests which is home to several endangered species, and working tirelessly to manage and conserve the forests for the good of the world, Ayade has brought in an innovation into the Carnival Calabar by introducing the Green Carnival, the first of its kind in the continent of Africa to stress the importance with which his administration attaches to the issue of climate change as 5 million trees are to be planted as part of the concerted efforts to checkmate climate change with its devastating effects on mankind. The theme of carnival was also hinged on climate change.

    Ayade paradigm shift from the mundane ways of economic reasoning and his phenomenal strides in the arts of statecraft and governance has stand him out as a leader with great, articulate mind with ideas and innovations to drive development to the state, though there are a few who are yet to come to term with Ayade’s leadership style which to them is not in tune with what they know or the business as usual way of doing things.

    It was based on this reality that sometime last year, Barrister Venatius Ikem in his article, “ The Ayade Phenomenon and the Crisis of Confidence in Cross River State”, agreed that Ayade comes into government with a daring steps to effect   revolution in governance, a paradigm shift to a system which left some persons “bemused, sometimes confused and even disappointed”. He however added by asking the following questions, “is his zeal to develop the state not showing? In other words no matter your opinion of Governor Ayade and the direction of his government, don’t you think his efforts however you perceive them, are directed at achieving something positive for the state”?

    Governor Ayade’s effort to bring in innovation to statecraft and governance, boost the avenue of sourcing for funds for social services and infrastructural development in a state like Cross River with very negligible share from the federation has attracted some misgiving from some persons who feels that the governor has refused to draw the line between business which is purely profit making and government which is service to the people. They also posited that the government new innovation in the art of governance was alien to them, not the normal way of doing things known to them. It is true that some persons find it difficult to accept or get adjusted to change, more so when they feel the change is sudden or that they cannot directly and immediately benefit from such change. But are the above position and accusations true?

    Is it true that government now and always has nothing to do with business and profit making, and that the Ayade leadership’s paradigm shift is deliberately forcing a bitter pile down the throats of the citizens and that his government does not have a human face? Certainly, this is not true as it is a misrepresentation of Ayade administration stand for and has demonstrated for the past seven months.

    First, it is historically verifiable that in an egalitarian and democratic society all over the world, Nigeria and Cross River State in particular, government had involved in business and still does so. For example, the former South-Eastern state of Nigeria (now Cross River and Akwa Ibom States), business outfits such as the liquidated Mercantile Bank and Manila Insurance were established as profit making outfits. The Government Printers, Cross River State Newspaper Corporation and CRBC were established as profit making outfits to handle government printing businesses, handle jobs from members of the public on profit basis, while at the same time serve as government mouth piece/information organ to the people and the carrier of the demands of the people to the government. Tinapa was established with government interest to make profit, just as the Calabar International Convention Centre (CICC), among others.

    Again it is impossible for a governor who within his seven six months in office has abolished tax payment for the poor and low income earners in the state, embarked on regular payment of salary to state workers, even before the end of each month, lifted a 13 years embargo on employment and has concluded plans to build 5,000 houses which will be provided with electricity and water for the poor and the voiceless in Cross River State. The enabling law and the Agency to take charge of the 5,000 houses is already in place with several other people-oriented laws now passed and bills yet to be passed into law. The above achievements and policy thrust of Governor Ayade does not portray a wicked business man and a bourgeoisie who accumulate wealth at the expense of the masses but a true friend of the ordinary man and woman on the street.

    Within the very short period under review, the administration of Ayade has attracted 500 Million Euros on PPP arrangement for the signature projects and another 10 billion US dollars from Henan Provincial Government of China for the building of China city in Cross River State including building Africa’s haulage centre in the state.

    In seven month under governor Ayade, ongoing work at the garment factory that will employ about 2000 persons mostly women and widows in particular is at advance stage, groundbreaking for the signature projects performed, most of the streets in Obudu town, one of the five urban centres in the state are now being lid up by power driven by diesel turbines and is currently providing pipe borne water to more than 3,000 families in Obudu, thereby fulfilling the promise he made to the people during his thanksgiving service last year.

    Between May 29, 2015 to December 31, 2015, Senator Ben Ayade has effectively laid a rock-solid base for the realisation of the his development blueprint including the building of a new city, Calas Vergas in Calabar and other cities in the senatorial districts generation of additional 90 megawatts electricity, setting up of a state security outfit tagged “Operation Skolombo”, a poultry and a Rice city.

    Ayade is not beclouded; he has a crystal clear vision and direction on how the administration was going to administer the people, employing the scarce resources of the state for the good of all citizens. It is based on this reality that in his inaugural speech, he asserted that there was need that “Every foot is on the pedal, we aim to harness new ideas and technology to reconstruct our state, reform our schools to guarantee first class education for our youth and empowerment our citizens with the skills they need to engage a brave new world”!

    • Ulayi and Asha are media aides to the Cross River State governor

     

  • Green Carnival: Ayade begins 5m tree-planting campaign

    Green Carnival: Ayade begins 5m tree-planting campaign

    Cross River State Governor Ben Ayade has said his administration will plant five million trees to support afforestation and climate change.

    The governor spoke yesterday in Calabar, the state capital, when he kick-started the Green Carnival, the first in Africa.

    He said: “Calabar is going green, introducing urban afforestation, which is a classical departure from what we know. That is why we have the first green police in Africa.”

    Ayade, who said Cross River would lead other African countries in the green initiative, added that the World Bank had set aside $100 billion to support Africa’s afforestation and climate change drive.

    The governor said the United Nations (UN) had also set aside $100 billion annually to support climate change in Third World countries.

    He said: “The time has come for Cross River to understand that climate change is also business. We will create green millionaires; young men, like you and I, will come together and become rich men by planting, managing and taking full values for the trees.”

    According to him, Africans do not believe that it is right to advocate for extreme decarbonisation of Africa.

    Ayade said there was need to have a balance between utilisation and regeneration.

    The governor, who hailed former Rivers State governor and Transport Minister, Rotimi Amaechi, who was the special guest, said his administration, through the Green Carnival, would also create a foray of greenery that has a camouflage of beauty and elegance.

    He said: “As we embark on our superhighway, we are encouraged to plant trees so that as we drive through a canopy of trees, it will be like driving from Singapore Airport into the city centre.”

    Other disnitaries at the green carnival included Deputy Governor Ivara Esu, House of Assembly Speaker John Lebo, Senator Florence Ita-Giwa, members of the National and state assemblies, Nollywood actors, including John Okafor (aka Mr. Ibu) and Okon Lagos.

  • Ayade: CarnivalCalabar is Africa’s largest street party

    Ayade: CarnivalCalabar is Africa’s largest street party

    •Street trade booms as event reaches climax

    Cross River State Governor Ben Ayade has said the annual CarnivalCalabar is the “largest street party in Africa”.

    The governor, who spoke yesterday in Calabar, the state capital, at the grand finale of this year’s edition of the carnival, noted that it promoted talents and unity among Nigerians.

    He said the carnival united Cross River residents and other Nigerians.

    Ayade said: “We are celebrating 11 years of the carnival, the greatest street party ever, the greatest show in West Africa. This is just the beginning.

    “This is my first carnival as governor of the state. We will continue to add innovations to make it colourful in the years ahead.”

    The governor said the theme for this year’s carnival is: Climate Change, adding that the hospitality of the state had continued to attract tourists from across the world.

    He hailed the residents and the participants for making this year’s edition a success.

    Calabar Carnival Commission’s Chairman Gabriel Onah said nine countries – Spain, France, Italy, Rwanda, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Burundi, Ghana and Brazil – participated this year.

    Onah said the carnival continued to produce commercial content for the state.

    He said: “Tourism is indeed our own oil. We will use tourism to market the state to the world. The attention of the world is focused on Calabar today. As you can see, the state is wearing a new look.”

    A spectator, Mr Philip Ita, described the carnival as a street party that united the people.

    He praised the government for sustaining it in the last 11 years.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the 12-kilometre carnival walk began from Mary Slessor Road and passed through IBB Way, Marian Road, MCC Way, Calabar highway and terminated at the U. J. Esuene Stadium.

    NAN also reports that operatives from the police, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Army, Navy and Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) were stationed at strategic points along the route to ensure a crisis-free carnival.

    Residents of Calabar cashed in on the final day of CarnivalCalabar to make brisk business.

    NAN’s survey in the city showed that residents converted available spaces on the carnival routes to business arena, displaying various items.

    Canopies and chairs were set up by individuals and groups on the streets along carnival routes where tourists and fun seekers paid a token to relax and watch the events.

    A resident, Sunday Akpan, told NAN that he set up his business as early as 7 a.m., adding that people had been patronising him since then.

    Akpan, who was from neighbouring Akwa Ibom State, said he had been participating in the carnival since 2013, making made good sales.

    He said: “I cannot tell you how much I have made this morning (yesterday) but I have made good money, especially from dry gin and cigarettes.”

    A food vendor, Mrs Uloma Ezike, said she displayed her food as early as 6 a.m and had been selling since then.

    She added: “I am about to go and cook another round because this one has almost finished. Normally, on a carnival day, I cook three or four times because the food must be hot all the time.

    “I have so many customers who used to come to eat. Some buy take-away and others eat here.”

    A tourist from Edo State, Mr Nelson Ighodalo, told NAN that he was enjoying everything about the carnival.

    He said: “Honestly, I am enjoying the whole thing, especially looking at the setting, people moving around enjoying themselves: relaxing, dining and wining in the open this early.

    “In fact, everything here is fun.”

    NAN reports that there was presence of security personnel and other para-military at strategic locations along the routes.

    They appeared ready to maintain law and order as well as ensure orderliness by the crowd.

     

  • Ambode, Aregbesola, Ayade, Amosun, Dickson, Wada urge peaceful co-existence, hope

    Ambode, Aregbesola, Ayade, Amosun, Dickson, Wada urge peaceful co-existence, hope

    GOVERNORS, in their goodwill messages, have felicitated with the citizenry over the Eid-el-Maulud and Christmas celebrations.

    They urged them to embrace the virtues of love and peaceful co-existence.

    The governors advised them to refrain from activities that could trigger unrest and disunity, calling for prayers for divine intervention over the country’s economic challenges.

    Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, in his message to residents, said as the nation anticipates the change promised by the All Progressives Congress (APC) governments at the centre and state levels, it was only through peaceful co-existence and atmosphere that any positive change could materialise.

    “The season of Christmas is one that exemplifies the virtues of love and peaceful co-existence. We must continue to extend a hand of love and live as one family, irrespective of our creed or colour. We must also continue to respect each other’s right to live freely and peacefully”, the governor said in a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Habib Aruna.

    He said the security challenges facing the country should not be used as an avenue to create division along ethnic and religious lines by some politicians, who, he added, were engaging in name-calling of political opponents.

    Ambode said Nigeria  has continued to draw strength from its diversity, saying that the citizens  must, therefore, stand together and resist any attempt by any individual or group of persons to highlight such ethnic differences to further their selfish ends or fan embers of disunity.

    Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola asked Muslims all over the world to use the occasion of this year’s celebration of the birth of Prophet Muhammad to pray for divine intervention over the country’s economic challenges.

    Though the governor recognised the global nature of the economic meltdown, he said Muslims have a great role to play in offering prayers for God’s direction and interventions.

    He asked the adherents to remember the teachings of Prophet Muhammad and apply them in their personal lives.

    Aregbesola said in doing that, humanity would regain the lost essence of living and there would be a return to the path of God.

    Cross River State Governor Ben Ayade enjoined Christians to “reflect on the import of Christmas brought about by the birth of Jesus Christ and its redemptive hope to millions of Christians around the world”.

    The governor, in the goodwill message by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Christian Ita, urged Christians to use the opportunity of the celebration to rededicate themselves to the values of love, peace, sacrifice and tolerance as embodied in the birth of Jesus Christ.

    Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun described as “a divine message of love, unity and religious tolerance,” the fact that this years’ celebration of the birth of Prophet Muhammad almost coincided with that of the birth of Jesus Christ.

    He urged Christians and Muslim faithful to live in unity and love at all times and eschew all forms of intolerance and violence.

    Bayelsa State Governor Henry Seriake Dickson called on Bayelsans to imbibe the positive attributes of peace, love and forgiveness, which Christ propagated, lived and died for.

    Dickson reminded the people of the importance of peace, noting that it remains a major catalyst to any meaning development, especially under a democratic dispensation.

    Kogi State governor Idris Wada congratulated Nigerians for witnessing this year’s Eid-el-Maulud, Christmas and end of year festivities and enjoined them to use the atmosphere  for the revival of brotherhood and service to humanity.

    The governor, in a message by his Special Adviser on Media and Strategy, Mr. Jacob Edi, urged Nigerians to use the Christmas season for meditation and sober reflection.

  • Ayade pledges to eradicate unemployment

    Ayade pledges to eradicate unemployment

    •Governor lights up Calabar

    CROSS River State Governor Ben Ayade has pledged to work hard to eradicate or reduce the scourge of unemployment to the barest minimum in the state by the end of his first tenure in office.

    Ayade spoke on Monday at the City Lighting event at the Millennium Park in the state capital to herald the beginning of activities in this year’s Calabar Festival.

    The governor reiterated his resolve to ensure that only policies, which would create jobs for the people, were formulated by his administration, promising that no Cross Riverian willing to work would be unemployed at the end of his tenure.

    He said: “Today, we the great people of Cross River State are having reasons to come together and celebrate our annual festival. Today marks a turning point in the philosophical theory of the people of Cross River State.  We are redesigning our philosophy and concept to create a new horizon of opportunity for young people. Young people, who by no fault of theirs, are facing challenges in their own time. As a young man, who grew from those challenges and now on the saddle of leadership, I want to commit and challenge, and to tell every Cross Riverian that the new theory behind the carnival this time is that we want to return power to the youths.

    “We want young men and women to have opportunities and so switching on these lights today is a luminescence of the celestial path to the growth, to the future, the prosperity of the young. We make commitment, for those who do not know the theory that no matter how challenging this may be, just understand the fact that this state has to grow. I make it very clear today; my government is focused on the poor because that is my heritage and that is my background. “

    On the new philosophy that underpins his administration, he said: “As sophisticated as this carnival looks, there is a simplicity that I am bringing into it, bringing it back to nature, climate change as our new focus. I will create jobs for all the young men and women; that is why I am focusing on the green police and the green carnival and the climate marshals. As far as I know, by the end of my tenure, we are not going to have any young man who is Cross Riverian, unemployed.

    “I give this commitment because I understand the challenges of our people. I know our heritage and God, bringing all of you here, means I have an opportunity in history to change the course of mankind.”

    The colourful event attracted people in their thousands, including political leaders.

    The arena was adorned with decorations to depict the season, giving vitality to the Christmas spirit with the people thrilled with performances by dance acts before the actual lighting ceremony.

  • Nigeria can’t stop crude extraction for renewable energy, says Ayade

    Nigeria can’t stop crude extraction for renewable energy, says Ayade

    •Minister: we’re committed to emission reduction 

    Cross River State Governor Ben Ayade said yesterday that calls by some developed countries to end fossil fuel extraction as a way of mitigating against climate change will be harmful to the Nigerian economy.

    He spoke at the sidelines of the ongoing 21st Conference of Parties to the United Nation’s Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Paris, France. The governor, who is also the president of African Governors Forum on Climate Change, said the use of renewable energy must follow the pace of development by developing nations, whose economy depends on oil.

    Ayade’s position differs to that of many developed countries that canvassed for an end to fossil fuel extraction.

    Also, many civil society organisations have identified “big oil” as a primary cause of climate change.

    But Ayade, who is also a professor of Environmental Science, said without alternatives, Nigeria would continue to develop her fossil fuel economy, but with controlled measure.

    This, he said, would ensure that those who depend on the oil would continue to be protected without the huge exposure of the atmosphere to hydrocarbon.

    His words: “Renewable energy is not the way for Africans at this point in time. Renewable energy means put an end to the sale of your hydro carbon, it means Nigeria should stop exporting crude oil.

    “But they are busy doing research, inventing technology, using solar energy and wind power. When all of that happens, when the oil price goes down, when you stop producing oil, what are you going to use as an alternative?

    “The misbalancing of the livelihood; what is the alternative to that? Renewable energy must follow with development and it must follow with technology. Africa cannot be in a haste to adopt renewable technology.”

    The governor decried the attitude of African countries, where anything adopted in the West is copied without adequate reflection and whether it works for the African environment.

    “We must go in pace with our own technology at our pace and that is the problem we have also taken into politics. We practice presidential system of government that is being practiced by advanced western world, who have 200 years of democracy,” he said.

    The governor explained that taking the hydrocarbon out of the soil is necessary to avoid natural disasters.

    “When you talk about renewable energy, it is complaining against the economy of developing countries. Don’t forget, as we refuse to take off the hydrocarbon, geothermal pressure occurs in the sub soil and in the span of years, volcanic eruptions will naturally occur. So, you need to actually take them out.

    “You must have controlled utilisation and the focus will be if you are taking off hydrocarbon, can you plant more trees, particularly carnivorous species like pines and oak trees that have the capacity to take off the carbon dioxide? I would rather have you use fossil fuel with mitigative measures than to cap it and focus on renewable energy. While that technology works for them, it is harmful for our economy,” he said.

    The governor decried the beggarly attitude of African countries, saying Africa has a key resource in her forests, which must be developed to conserve carbon.

    He added that this year’s Calabar festival will have climate change as its theme. The governor explained that it is aimed at calling attention to the issue of a changing world.

    Minister of Environment Mrs. Anima Muhammed yesterday said Nigeria is determined to reduce hydrocarbon emissions in 2030 by 20 per cent, rising to 45 per cent with the support of the international community.

    The country, she said, is committed to an economic transformation that would put green growth at the core.

    Mrs. Muhammed yesterday made the declaration at a High Level Meeting of Ministers at the Climate Change talks

    She said Nigeria was ready to take actions that would address the global climate change.

    Some of these actions, the minister added, were already embedded in Nigeria’s Intentional Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC), which is an instrument used by countries to make pledges on how to reduce carbon emission.

    The minister told world leaders that Nigeria was aware of the disastrous effect of climate change, a point, she added, was well made during the 2012 flooding that displaced more than 2.1 million Nigerians.

    She said the Lake Chad in the Northeast of the country was no longer more than 10 percent of its original size, leaving millions of people who depended on it for their livelihood in poverty.

    She reinstated Nigeria’s position on climate justice to achieve a human-centered approach towards safeguarding the rights of the most vulnerable, including women and children.

    “Paris must give us an agreement that will equitably promote climate change mitigation, adaptation and resilience based on effective means of implementation through adequate financing, technology transfer and capacity development.”

     

  • Ayade to extend Calabar monorail to airport

    Ayade to extend Calabar monorail to airport

    Cross River State Governor Ben Ayade has said his administration will extend the monorail to the Margaret Ekpo International Airport, Calabar.

    This followed the installation of the components of the first ultra-modern monorail in West Africa from the Calabar International Conference Centre (CICC) to the Tinapa Business and Leisure Resort.

    Ayade spoke in calabar, the state capital, after a test ride at the installation point of the facility at Tinapa.

    The governor noted that extending the monorail to the airport was the panacea for the envisaged congestion the city centre would experience in the course of rapid inflow of investments.

    He said the plan would check the impending trend and make more pleasurable access to the CICC and Tinapa from the airport.

    Ayade said: “This project stands to be extended to the Margaret Ekpo International Airport, Calabar, as the state receives approval certifying the airport for international operations.”

    The governor, who was accompanied by Deputy Governor Ivara Esu and other top government functionaries, added: “Visitors and tourists will be glad to experience Africa’s warmest city on the monorail as they visit from now on. It’s an experience that will remain memorable in their minds as the project is fast becoming a reality.”

    With the double couches mounted and ready for use, the governor said he could not “wait to have the first ride”.

    He said: “Don’t forget that we are bringing the Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria, other beauty queens and the international community. They will al take a ride in this facility. After having the first experience entering the monorail, I am pleased that the project is coming on stream as we prepare to officially inaugurate the project soon.”

     

  • Ayade, Cross Riverians and the Climate Change carnival

    FOR some time now, there have been serious concerns about climate change around the world. Interestingly, Nigeria is not lagging behind in the pro-active measures to protect humanity from environmental hazards and natural disasters.

    Let me quickly emphasise that I don’t know how much work has been done by the National Orientation Agency, NOA, on matters that affect the ordinary Nigerians. But it is obvious that the days of intriguing radio jingles as well as subtle and dramatic presentations on television that condemned social vices and appraised good virtues are gone! Indeed, one still remembers with glee such enticing and attention-grabbing commercials such as the ”I’m Checking Out” advert popularised by ‘Andrew’.

    No doubt, times were when we experienced great political and economic awareness in this country, a situation that reminds one of the halcyon days of the MAMSER campaign. However, it appears that issues of human interests and socio-economic concerns have been ceded to NGOs and individual state government nowadays.

    But in the midst of this seeming un-inspiring experience, the recent announcement of ‘Climate Change’ by Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River State, as the theme of this year’s Calabar carnival is a pointer to the fact that the state government is responsive to the yearnings of the citizenry. In other words, it is not enough for a government to manage crises such as deaths and sicknesses, but it is more important to prevent them so as to reduce mortality rate.

    Quoting a popular American saying, Ayade said: “The only essence of life is enjoyment and once you take away happiness from a man, you have taken away the reason to live,” while giving reasons for the world to join him and his people in Calabar to celebrate another yuletide offering and tourism preserve of Cross River State government.

    He spoke glowingly about the annual carnival touted as the ‘Biggest Street Party in Africa”, saying, “As Cross Riverians, we are great dreamers. We don’t believe that there is any challenge that cannot be overcome. This is because at any time you put your soul above your problem, your body will surely follow.”

    Interestingly, while Ayade showed style through his eloquent marketing of the significance of the carnival, I was swayed by the caveat in his speech that suggested that life in all its glory is for man to take dominion of. Besides, I was also impressed by the fact that there is an underlining message in the entire glitz and razzmatazz planned around the carnival – Climate Change – a phenomenon that has the power to define the success or failure of man’s socio-economic and political being.

    Ayade further explained that the theme was carefully selected to reflect current global realities with a view to drawing attention to the needed action against climate change and its negative impacts. “We present a theme that represents the true challenge of the world today as we celebrate this year’s event,” he said, disclosing that Cross River State is the fifth Biodiversity hotspot in the world.

    It will be recalled that former Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN, launched a climate change summit in 2009, hinging on the need for humanity to reflect on the threat posed by the increasing world population and attendant use of natural resources. This has helped in shaping actions and policies regarding the Lagos environment such as the Eko Atlantic City project, a measure against sea level rise; tree planting campaign; creation of gardens and improved waste management system, among others.

    Perhaps, it is germane to state why I am enamoured of technocrats rather than the typical Nigerian politicians. The reason, to put it mildly, was couched in his statement on the occasion: “We have the second largest rain forest next to the Amazon. We also have the largest forest cover in Nigeria. It is the only state with Green Police governed by a Professor of Environmental Science. So, we cannot but promote environmental best practices to save the world from collapse.”

    Suffice to say that the carnival brings to revellers a strong story of humanity in the most subtle ways possible. This is what art and entertainment represent. In my view, this is another reason our governments and Corporate Nigeria must see dance/drama beyond the ‘play’ factor.

    The creative sector is a multibillion naira industry. So, except we see it as the mirror that reflects who we truly are, we may lose those ingredients that underscore art, culture, fashion, entertainment and whatever name we deem as viable non-oil income earners or tools of cultural exportation and international diplomacy.

    The carnival, according to the Professor Governor, is not just an opportunity to come and dance and make friends, but it is also an opportunity for business. ”This is because geographically, Cross River remains a business hub for Africa; so, there must be a calibration of business and pleasure,” he explained.

    He added that the state plans to set up ‘the biggest garment factory’ in Nigeria on December 15, and localise the production of costumes used during the event as a business angle to the festival.

    Also, in his remark, the Chairman, Cross River State Carnival Commission, Mr. Gabe Onah, said: “The strong desire and fervent wish of the Governor is that we begin to look inward and turn the carnival into a veritable ground to better the lots of the common man and elevate the land from poverty to prosperity.”

    Before delving into the new additions to this year’s show, I also took note of the Band’s challenge in bringing the subject of climate change alive. Leader of the notable Seagull Band, Senator Florence Ita-Giwa, shed light on this when she said, contrary to the notion in some quarters that the festival is all about dancing, that it is capital-intensive and intellectually challenging.

    ”The challenges of interpreting the theme is difficult than running for an election. Once the theme is released, the band leaders begin to have sleepless nights. Each time we are having our rehearsals, I remember the comedian called Mr. Bean. And I can tell you that there is nothing as difficult as creating expressions without voicing.  Band leaders tear themselves apart during rehearsals and to imagine that we manage about a thousand people,” she said.

    There are more to look out for in this year’s Carnival Calabar, as Bands from 16 countries will do the 12-kilometre street parade. Memories of old car models will also be brought back through living-legend automobiles. Power bikers from across the country will also be on the loose with what is called the Bikers’ Parade. The best of Nigerian tunes, otherwise called African drums, will also make up what is called the Disco Fiesta, while the popular Children Carnival takes the form of family funfair.

    Indeed, there is no better place to be this December!