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Tag: Cross River

  • DPR seal off six fuel stations in Cross River for diversion, price hike

    The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) has sealed six fuel station in Cross River State over diversion of the product and price hike.

    Operations Controller in charge of Cross River, Mr Bassey Nkanga, told reporters in Calabar that the stations were sealed in the last one week.

    According to him, intensified surveillance was carried out to ensure that the product released from the depot is sold to the public at the government approved price of N145 per litre.

    “In the past few days, we have embarked on an intensified surveillance to ensure that the product released to Cross River is sold in filing stations in the state and at the stipulated price.

    “Some marketers were found to have erred. Some diverted the product and were not able to account for it. We gave them a time grace and after that, we will conclude that they have diverted the product and sanctions will be meted on them.

    “Any marketer who diverts the product will pay N200 fine on each litre diverted, if it is a whole truck, the marketer will pay N6million and those selling above government price will pay N100,000 as fine respectively.

    “Some of the marketers have come to report that the alleged diverted products have reached their stations. We are going to monitor them and ensure that the product is sold at N145 per litre’’, he said.

    He further said that DPR in the state would soon start announcing the number of trucks released to Cross River and the allocations so that the public can report back to them in case such products were diverted by marketers.

    He added that the effort was to ensure that the product meant for each fuel station in the state was delivered and sold to the public at the stipulated price.

    “Marketers should respect the guidelines covering their operations. They should operate within the confines of the guidelines and ensure that those products given to them are sold to the public accordingly.

    “The government is doing everything possible to bring back normalcy in petroleum product supply.

    “I wish to appeal to the general public to have faith in the government because efforts are on to ensure availability of the across the country,” he said.

     

  • Cross River troupe to participate at Rio Carnival

    Cross River troupe to participate at Rio Carnival

    A contingent comprising of the leaders of the five competing bands of the annual Carnival Calabar are in Rio, Brazil, ahead of the annual carnival tagged World Biggest Street Party and revenue generation to the government of Brazil.

    A statement from the Cross River government says the move by the State governor, Prof. Ben Ayade was part of the effort to improve the organisation and revenue generation for  Calabar Carnival popularly known as Africa’s Biggest Street Party.

    Led by the Commissioner for Culture and Tourism Hon Eric Anderson, and Head of the State Event Management and Carnival Commission, this is the first time Cross River State will be participating at the Rio Carnival.

    Governor Ben Ayade had during the 2017 Carnival Calabar promised to re-strengthen the annual event from its organisation, coordination and revenue generation in a bid to make the carnival a competing  product in Cross River Tourism Calendar by introducing new ideas and revenue generation drive.

    Speaking on their readiness for the carnival  at Galeo International Airport Rio, Brazil, Anderson said the team is excited to be part of the world carnival event.

    He said the delegation from Cross River  came to understudy how Rio Carnival became the world best in terms of organisation, Orderliness, Logistics and most importantly, revennue generation.

    “We are excited to be part of the Rio Carnival in 2018 because it is the biggest in the world and as a Tourism state that takes carnival as its flagship, we are going to learn from the world best.

    “Our aim is to see how to better Calabar Carnival in the areas of organisation, promotion, logistics and revenue generation, don’t forget this is the first time Cross River is participating in this Carnival and it is the initiative of his Excellency the Governor but facilitate by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism under my supervision.

    “Carnival Calabar after this trip will not  be the same again, because for us our visit is a peer review to see what they are doing good and infuse into what we are doing ,this is why all the band leaders and major stakeholders in management and organisation of the carnival Calabar are here,” he said.

    The Commissioner explained further that by 2019 edition, the five competing bands and governors band  will be participating fully to give Rio a taste of Cross River.

    The Executive Secretary, Cross River Carnival Commission, Mr  Austine Cobham while commending the Governor for fulfilling his promise to sponsor the band leaders to Rio said, “we are here to understand what the world best is doing right that Calabar need to emulate from mustering, adjudication and crowd Control and management.

    “The visit is going to be the best for us as a commission by the time will present our findings and report to His Excellency, the governor.

    Some of the Band Leaders and stakeholders already in Rio are Hon.Chris Agibe of Passion 4, Dr Iyam Ugot of Freedom Band, Chief Asuquo Ekpeyong, Chief Chris Agara, Ken Aklah, Gabe Onah, Tom Agi, Don Clem Enameh among others.

  • Housing units near completion in Cross River

    The first phase of housing units by the Cross River State government for displaced Bakassi people will soon be completed, Social Housing Commissioner Edem Okokon Effiom has said.

    Governor Ben Ayade, while celebrating his birthday with the displaced people last year, promised to provide them a befitting accommodation.

    Effiom, who conducted reporters round the project yesterday, hailed the quality of the houses, which are located at Ifiang Ayong.

    He said: “These buildings, as you can see, are not mere huts but two bedroom flats. They are built with state-of-the-art facilities. You cannot have social housing units in any part of the world better than these, not even in advanced countries.”

    Saying that there is provision of land in the estate for governor’s lodge, market, schools and skill acquisition centre, Effiom said: “In this first phase, there are 52 houses, out of which 36 are at the roofing level, 14 at lintel and two completed. So I can conveniently say we are at 70 per cent completion.”

    He praised Ayade for fulfilling his promise, saying the governor was seeking solution to the humanitarian crisis in Bakassi created by the international community.

    A displaced youth, Okon Effiom Archibong, who hailed the government, expressed excitement at the prospect of having a decent home.

    According to Patricia Ene Asuquo, another displaced indigene of Bakassi, Ayade is simply God-sent.

    She said: “I am happy about the project. Ayade is working. I have endorsed him for second term.”

  • Apc Cross River chair back

    Apc Cross River chair back

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) has warned that those perpetrating acts of illegality and gross indiscipline in the Cross  Rivers State chapter will be investigated and prosecuted in line with the party’s constitution.

    The party said it has voided the sack of the party chairman, Sir James Ochalla, warning against any attempt to cause disunity in the party.

    The National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, said in a statement in Abuja that  Ochalla is the party chairman in Cross Rivers State and asked members of the party to remain calm and be law abiding.

    The statement reads: “Our attention has been drawn to recent developments in the All Progressives Congress, Cross River state chapter. For the avoidance of doubt, please be guide as follow

    “That the state executive of our chapter in Cross River State led by Sir John Ochalla is the duely recognized executive of the state. That we condemn in totality, the activities of Friday 2nd to 6th February, 2918 in which some party members allegedly broke in, vandalized, occupied the state secretariat and allegedly claim that there is a change in leadership of the state executive committee.

    “All perpetrators of this illegality and acts of gross indiscipline causing undue disaffection amongst party faithful shall be investigated and prosecuted in line with the constitution of our great party.

    “It is imperative to state that our great party has laid down procedures of resolving any internal dispute. We appeal to all our teeming members to be calm, law abiding and loyal to the Sir John Ochalla led state executive committee as the party is poised to resolving all contending issues in Cross River chapter.”

  • APC governorship aspirant attacked during declaration in Cross River

    APC governorship aspirant attacked during declaration in Cross River

    A governorship aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Cross River State, Mr Venatius Ikem, was attacked by political thugs at the party’s secretariat in Obudu Local Government Area, while declaring his intention to run for the 2019 elections on Friday.

    The state governor, Prof Ben Ayade hails from the local government. Thugs all manner of weapons had earlier on attacked the secretariat, vandalizing the building and chasing away party members, who were waiting for the declaration to start. Ikem, a lawyer and also an Obudu indigene, had then led his supporters on foot to the secretariat and while he was preparing to address them, a large group of thugs once again descended on the secretariat and beat up APC members randomly.

    Our reporter who was at the event reported that the thugs beat up people, using stones, sticks, bottles and machetes, while breaking the windows of the building. The thugs went ahead to enter the secretariat building, where Ikem had retreated into and attacked everyone in sight. When some of them noticed The Nation reporter trying to take pictures, they moved to attack him, but he ran off and got a commercial motorcycle rider popularly known as Okada, who sped off from the scene. The chairman of APC in Abi Local Government Area, Romanus Egbonyi, who sustained a deep cut in his left arm said it was unfair for the party, which is law abiding to be treated the way it was.

  • Cross River South adopts Ayade for second term

    Cross River South adopts Ayade for second term

    Leaders, women and youths in the South Senatorial district yesterday adopted Cross River State Governor Ben Ayade for second term.

    They did the endorsement on the platform of the Seven-Alive group, saying that Ayade had surpassed their expectations in less than three years in office despite dwindling federal allocation and a heavy debt burden.

    Chairman of the socio-political pressure group Chief Asuquo Ekpenyong and other top political leaders from the district affirmed that they would support Ayade for second term based on his excellent performance and the existing zoning arrangement in the state.

    The seven-Alive Local Governments of the South asserted that besides Ayade’s performance, they were looking forward to power returning to the South by 2023.

    It said that the region had been favoured with key appointments of nine of their sons and daughters as members of the State Executive Council – holding key portfolios such as Finance, Health, Petroleum, Gas, Information and Transport.

    They also listed projects completed and ongoing that are located in the South to include the ongoing dualisation of the Calabar/Odukpani junction highway to end the torture that commuters endure on the single lane federal road which is the gateway into a rapidly developing city like Calabar; the completion of design and commencement of work on the 275 kilometre Super highway and the completion of design, Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), on the super highway and commencement of pre-construction and reclamation works at the Bakassi Deep seaport.

    Other projects that were named include the completion of the garment factory, pharmaceutical factory, agro-industrial park, rice seeds and seedlings factory, construction of Ayade referral hospital in Odukpani, completion of design of Teachers Continuous Training College TCTC, Biase.

    Ayade, who made a brief stop at the event, announced automatic employment for 3,000 young people.

    The governor said: “Today, look at the statistics, voluntary payment of school fees, house rent payment, medical bills payment, Cross River has noticed a significant improvement, you will notice that more flights are coming into Calabar today.

    “You are realizing that the menace of Skolombo boys is over, you are realizing that we are having a finer class of society. We may not have eliminated crime in totality, but there is progress. There is homeland security taking care of that.”

    “It is against that strength that I am here before you. But, I know very very well that normally in traditional societies where there is always focus on the bottom line which is money, governments don’t focus on people; they focus on projects and things that will get them reelected.

    “But I have focused on the stomach, I have focused on the intellect and the future that you have got that I know is bigger than even mine; that I feel that this intercourse that we are having will bring a better tomorrow for you,” he said.

    After the speeches, a motion for Ayade’s endorsement was moved by Deputy Speaker of the Cross River State House of Assembly Joseph Bassey (PDP, Calabar South 1) and seconded by Mr. Ogban Ogban.

  • NGO donates to refugees in Cross River

    NGO donates to refugees in Cross River

    Three hundred Cameroonians taking refuge at Okwangwo, a border community in Boki Local Government of Cross River State, have received relief materials from an Akwa Ibom State -based non-government organisation (NGO).

    Mr. John Inaku, director-general, Cross River Emergency Relief Agency (CR-SEMA), spoke to News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

    He said that the materials were donated by Collective Development Initiative (CDI), in collaboration with Akwa Ibom State Enterprise and Employment Scheme (AKEES), the pencils and toothpick production arm.

    Inaku said the materials were the first since their arrival about three months ago at the National Park, Okwangwo.

    The items include rice, noodles, soap, detergent, flakes, biscuit, notebooks and pencils.

    Inaku said other refugees, from crisis-prone neighbouring English-speaking parts of Cameroon, were in Ukwa 1, Ukwa 2 and Bashu communities.

    The director-general, who hailed the team for the magnanimity, said the donation would assist the refugees.

    He assured them that governments were concretising plans for a fuller intervention.

    A statement by Inaku said some refugees from the francophone country, who fled to parts of Cross River State, have not been attended to.

    It said the team arrived at Okwangwo after a two-hour journey from Ikom on motorbikes through bush paths and was warmly received by the refugees.

    Presenting the materials on behalf of the donors, Executive Director, CDI, Aniefiok Jimmy, said the donors considered the burden of the host community in caring for the unexpected visitors in the last three months.

    Aniefiok said it was disheartening that more than 200 children were out of school because of the displacement, while their parents could barely fend for themselves.

    According to him, the world is not aware of the humanitarian crisis in Okwangwo and other communities hosting refugees, hence the lukewarm response to their plight.

    He appealed to organisations, especially the United Nations, as well as governments to intervene.

    Aniefiok feared that humanitarian crises caused by influx of refugees from Cameroon to the area could degenerate, if left unattended.

    He promised to mobilise for more relief materials, saying “the token’’ donated was just a preamble and an opportunity to assess the situation.

    The General Manager of AKEES, Mr. Bassey Friday, said his organisation would take interest in educating the displaced children by giving them notebooks and pencils.

    Receiving the materials, Chairman of Okwangwo community, Chief Cyprian Oki, described the donation as a relief to the refugees and community.

    He said the community had been fending for them since their arrival about three months ago.

  • Cross River increases awareness on Lassa fever

    Cross River increases awareness on Lassa fever

    The Cross River Government has increased awareness campaign against Lassa fever to prevent further outbreak of the disease.

    Commissioner for Health Dr Inyang Asibong said the exercise became necessary as the two cases of Lassa fever recorded were traced to migrants who came into the state.

    Asibong presented personal protective equipment to health workers yesterday at the Ikang Border in Bakassi Local Government Area.

    The commissioner said the state government places high premium on the health status of the residents.

    The equipment donated included disposable gowns, hand gloves, nose masks, headgears and shoe covers.

    She noted that the equipment would be useful for other forms of medical emergencies aside from Lassa fever.

    “The idea behind this initiative is to protect our health workers against contracting any disease. We have solid health team across all the land borders in the state and it is important for us to equip them.

    “This Ikang border in Bakassi Local Government borders Cameroon. Many people transit this border for leisure and business. We are here today to sensitise the border community and equip our health team with the necessary health equipment.

    “This exercise will be replicated in all border towns across the state as we are leaving no stone unturned in our drive to strengthen our borders against disease migration,’’ she said.

    Director-General, Cross River Primary HealthCare Agency Dr Betta Edu, said the state had re-activated its Emergency Response Unit, set up a task force committee as well as isolation units across the state.

    She added that community health workers across the state have been equipped to pick up patients showing signs of any endemic disease in all communities and border areas.

  • Commotion at Cross River APC secretariat as Minister is suspended indefinitely

    Commotion at Cross River APC secretariat as Minister is suspended indefinitely

    The Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Pastor Usani Usani, was yesterday indefinitely suspended by the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Cross River State.

    The party also recommended his expulsion to the national leadership of the party.  Acting chairman of the party, Sir John Ochala, who was in the company of the South South Vice Chairman, Ntufam Hilliard Eta, was to convey the development to reporters at the party’s secretariat but some aggrieved members disrupted the meeting.

    They ordered reporters out of the building.

    The aggrieved members were angry that many of them who sacrificed for the party have not been taken care of.

    Some of them broke some chairs and threatened to break the camera of one of the private national television stations.

    Usani, a former chairman of the party in the state, was accused of indiscipline.

    Ochala, addressing reporters later at a separate location in Calabar, said they had the powers to suspend the Minister but could not expel him, warranting the recommendation to the national leadership.

    He alleged Usani was into organising illegal meetings against the best interest of the party even after several efforts to reconcile their differences.

    He alleged the minister’s aim was to install a state chairman to do his bidding.

    “We had an emergency meeting which had to do with in discipline among some other issues within the party.

    “Majorly, what we took in the meeting had to do with the formation of caucuses across the state and also the issue of indiscipline which is fueled by the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs.

    “With the powers vested on the state working committee, we had no choice but to invoke the tenets of the constitution which is the suspension of the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs and recommend his expulsion to the national,” he said.

     

  • Ayade okays N1.2b for basic education

    Ayade okays N1.2b for basic education

    Cross River State Governor Ben Ayade has approved N1.2 billion counterpart fund to enable the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) access the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) grant for 2017.

    The Executive Chairman of the board, Dr. Stephen Odey, spoke yesterday with reporters in Calabar.

    He said the board was awaiting release of the fund.

    “The governor has given his approval for the release of our 2017 request for grant of N1.2 billion. So, we are waiting for due processes to be completed.

    “You are aware that for any state to access grant from UBEC, it has to first pay its counterpart fund. That is where we are now.”

    Odey said the board had utilised its N4 billion 2012 to 2016 grant by awarding contracts for 327 projects.

    Said he: “Some of the projects include provision of computers, renovation of schools, provision of sports equipment, supply of 85,000 textbooks/instructional materials and 65,000 plastic chairs and tables.

    “As I speak, most of our primary schools operate computers with solar systems, while sporting activities are being revived in schools.”

    Odey added that Ayade has approved the recruitment of additional 1,000 primary teachers.

    “The board has conducted written tests for applicants.

    “We have completed the process for teachers’ promotion because primary school teachers were last promoted in 2009.

    “But this has cost implications and we do not want to employ teachers and not pay them salary regularly. We don’t want to promote teachers without commensurate benefits.

    “We have made proposals to the governor on these, but because of the present financial situation, Ayade is taking his time on the matter, he said.