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Tag: Cross River

  • Cross River inaugurates task force on Calabar masterplan

    Cross River State government has inaugurated an eight-man task force for the restoration of Calabar masterplan.

    Governor Ben Ayade, inaugurating the task force in Calabar, said it had become imperative to restore the city’s masterplan and restore its status as the cleanest and greenest city in Nigeria.

    He urged members to discharge their duties with integrity, shunning ethnic and parochial sentiments.

    Ayade said the team should ensure that the right things were done.

    “There is a masterplan for Calabar, but unfortunately, the distortion of the plan is happening at a very fast rate.

    “We have situations where people are building houses without approved plans, erecting commercial houses in residential neighbourhoods, building houses on flood plains and not respecting the boundary lines between highways, roads and clearance, as stipulated in the federal highway code.

    “This task force is designed to reverse the degeneration of Calabar.

    “Because of the required urgency at this point, men of character, integrity, honour and quality are being put together to address this trend.

    “You have a duty to reverse the city’s degeneration. This will involve, among others, pulling down any building on flood plains,” he said.

    The governor urged the team to ensure that residents paid development control and approval plan levies, while obtaining approvals for buildings in appropriate locations.

    He warned the task force against embarking on structure demolition without his approval, saying the right thing must be done.

    “Do the right thing, for if we allow people to build houses where there are drainages, under high tension cables, on transmission lines or close to major roads, the city will degenerate.

    “This will increase crime, while policing of criminality will be difficult,” Ayade said.

  • Cross River provides succour for refugees

    Cross River provides succour for refugees

    Cross River State government has provided food and relief materials for over 3,000 Southern Cameroonian refugees camping in Ikom Local Government.

    The United Nations said over 10,000 refugees have been registered in councils.

    Items donated included rice, plantain, beans, yam, garri, palm oil, cartons of noodles, toiletries, cooking utensils, among others.

    Governor Ben Ayade said he was aware of the pains of being chased out of your ancestral home, hence the need to ameliorate their suffering.

    Ayade, represented by the Managing Director, Cross River Food Bank Commission, Dr. Mercy Akpama, said his administration prioritised the welfare of residents, especially those in distress.

    He said: “I am aware of your pains and I am not relenting in my contact with President Muhammadu Buhari and the international community.

    “There is no greater pain like depriving people of their ancestral homes.

    “This passion has led me to bring food to you and soon I will build camps for you while waiting for my contacts to come to fruition in a bid to see you return to your ancestral homes.

    “I love you all and urge you to live in peace with your hosts. Remain patriotic and obey the laws of the land.

    “I urge you to share these items in love, for your suffering will not be too long.’’

    Director-General of Cross River State Emergency Management Agency Mr. John Inaku assured the refugees that the governor is concerned about their plight.

    “We have your brothers and sisters in other locations as well. These items are for those of you in Ikom and I can assure you that the governor will reach others soon.’’

    Inaku said arrangements were being made to convey medicines to the refugees.

    “The governor will come with more things for you. Be law- abiding. You are our brothers and sisters and we love you all,’’he said.

    The Coordinator, Southern Cameroon refugees, Mr. Abia David, hailed the government and people for their concern, noting that the gesture was a sign of true love to those in need.

  • Over 10, 000 Cameroonian refugees registered in Cross River, says UN

    Over 10, 000 Cameroonian refugees registered in Cross River, says UN

    Over 10, 000 refugees in various Cross River State communities have been registered so far, the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) has stated.

    Assistant Representative in charge of Operations for UNHCR in Abuja, BambaBoubacar, disclosed this while donating a field Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) to the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Displaced Persons (NCFRMI) in Calabar.

    He said the vehicle was to facilitate the registration of the asylum seekers.

    Boubacar explained: “We have registered so far 10, 400 Cameroonian refugees in Cross River and registration is continuing.

    “We have been informed that there are people not registered in various areas. But until we complete the registration, we would not be able to give an accurate figure.

    “We have people from other countries and also Nigerians who were established in Cameroon coming back. They cannot be registered as refugees.

    “So we need to be cautious and register before providing a figure. But also for yesterday it was 10, 400 registered.”

    He also disclosed that the UNHCR is planning to open an office in Calabar and a two field offices in other parts of the state.

     

  • INEC Commissioner expresses concern over voters’ apathy at reruns

    INEC Commissioner expresses concern over voters’ apathy at reruns

    Dr Mohammed Lecky, the Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC ) National Commissioner for Cross River, Akwa Ibom and Delta, has expressed worries over the low turnout of voters in recent elections across the country.

    Lecky expressed the worries on Thursday in Calabar, after touring INEC facilities in Cross River.

    He told journalists that the INEC was not comfortable with the low turnout of voters in the recently concluded reruns, especially that of Anambra.

    He called on the electorate in Cross River to endeavor to vote at the 2019 general elections, adding “my major advice to them is to register and vote at elections.

    “The present INEC has ensured continuous voter registration across the country. So this is an opportunity for every eligible voter in the state to register and be ready to vote.

    “We are distressed that people are not coming out to vote as witnessed in the last rerun election in Anambra Central where we recorded just above nine per cent turnout.

    “If we want change we must change through voting. We need to own the electoral process,” he said.

    The national commissioner said INEC would meet some challenges it faced in the state, especially the inadequate infrastructure in the state capital and the local government areas.

    Lecky said that the commission would make the working environment conducive for the workers and added, “we will also do our best to motivate the staff ahead of the elections.”

    NAN

  • LG retirees in C’ River demand payment of N9bn gratuity, pension arrears

    LG retirees in C’ River demand payment of N9bn gratuity, pension arrears

    Local government retirees in Cross River have vowed to occupy all government offices in the state if the State Government fails to pay them N9 billion arrears of gratuities and pension.

    Mr Bassey Okosin, state Chairman, Association of Local Government Pensioners who dropped the hint at news briefing on Tuesday in Calabar, said the debt had been owed for 11 years now.

    Okosin said the Gov. Ben Ayade-led administration had been given one month within which it must begin to pay the gratuity and pension arrears owed them from 2007 to 2018.

    She expressed displeasure over the neglect of local government retirees in the state and emphasised that they would embark on a protest on or after Feb. 16.

    “Our state governor has received one part of the bailout fund and two tranches of the Paris Club refund, yet, no single local government retirees has been paid.

    “We heard that the Federal Government had released the funds for the primary purpose of clearing all outstanding salaries, pensions and gratuities; why then are we not paid?

    “As of today, we have an average of 25 local government workers retiring from service monthly.

    “If we don’t receive this money under one month, the 5,600 pensioners in Cross River will occupy all relevant government offices until we are paid.

    “Some people who are retiring now can no longer be captured in the nominal roll because from what we heard, the list is filled up.

    “We are appealing to the state government to allocate some of the monies received to us.

    In addition, we want the state government to allocate 15 per cent of the monthly allocation from the federation account to retirees’’, he said.

    The chairman expressed regrets that they had been denied their entitlements, saying that they were told that the bailout and the Paris Club refunds did not cover local government pensioners.

    According to him, more than 600 local government pensioners’ names that were omitted during the 2016 personal audit were still outstanding.

    “We have exhausted all known means of reaching out to the relevant arms of government without result.

    “We have taken a decision to pack our loads and live in all the offices that are responsible for the payment of these entitlements until further notice.

    “This is not a threat but what is likely to happen in the next one month.

    “All our members have mobilised themselves from all the 18 local government areas of the state for this exercise’’, he said.

    NAN

  • F-SARS seeks cooperation from media to fight crime

    F-SARS seeks cooperation from media to fight crime

    The Commander of Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad ( F-SARS )in Cross River, Mr Victor Usang, has appealed for cooperation from journalists in the state in fighting crime.

    Usang made the appeal on Friday in Calabar when he paid a courtesy visit to the Chairman of the State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists ( NUJ ), Mr Victor Udu, at the council secretariat.

    The F-SARS commander said he was in the NUJ secretariat in the belief that security was the responsibility of everybody, nothing that community policing was the best way of fighting crime.

    “Since my assumption of office in the state, I have visited many organisations but I think NUJ is the most important partner in our efforts in fighting crime in Cross River.

    “I belief that security is the responsibility of everybody rather than few. I therefore appeal to journalists in the state to work with us in our effort to reduce crimes,’’ he said.

    According to him, there is increase in crime across the state and this calls for synergy among sister organisations and between the police and strategic professional groups like the NUJ.

    “Incidentally, Cross River is right now faced with rising crime wave such as kidnapping, cultism and armed robbery.

    “It is our duty to reduce the crime rate to the barest minimum. We need the cooperation of all, particularly the media,’’ he said.

    Read Also: Fake F-SARS commander, officer arrested in Rivers

    Responding, the NUJ chairman said that F-SARS owed it a duty to protect lives and property as well as ensure peace in the state.

    Udu called on the commander to work within the confines of the law while discharging his duties in the state.

    “Cross River needs peace and it is your duty to provide them with this peace.

    “So, I encourage you to do that2 and assure you that journalists in the state will work with you when necessary, to achieve the desired result,” he said.

    NAN

  • Police arrest ministry staff for stealing text books

    Police arrest ministry staff for stealing text books

    The Police in Cross River have arrested a staff of Cross River Ministry of Education for allegedly conspiring with others  to steal a trailer load of text books worth millions of naira.

    Mr Hafiz Inuwa, the State Commissioner of  Police, told newsmen in Calabar that  the text books belong   to the Ministry of  Education.

    Inuwa said the suspect was arrested on the  Ikom-Ogoja highway while heading to Lagos with the items for disposal.

    He also  said the suspect was arrested along side the truck driver and a Lagos-based businessman.

    “The items included  cartons of  French, Christian Religious Knowledge, Physical Education, Welding and Technical drawing text books belonging to the state government,’’ Inuwa said.

    He said that upon investigation, the police discovered a shady deal between some staff of the Ministry of  Education  and  their accomplices to dispose off the  materials without the approval of the state government.

    Also Read: Police seize N759,200 cash from four hawkers

    The commissioner added that the suspect had confessed to the crime and would soon be arraigned in  court.

    NAN

  • 40 kidnappers arrested in Cross River

    40 kidnappers arrested in Cross River

    The Cross River State Commissioner of Police, Mr Hafiz Inuwa, said 40 kidnappers were arrested between last February and December.

    Addressing reporters, Inuwa said 528 suspects were arrested for various offences, and 234 firearms recovered.

    He said this month, 51 suspects have been arrested for various offences, and weapons recovered from them.

    “The year 2018 has come with another success story as a landmark in the command’s effort to maintain peace and order, protect lives and property and prevention of crime.

    “I want to state categorically clear that the command is determined more than ever to surmount all forms of criminalities, bust criminal hideouts and expose all criminal elements operating within the state.

    “Through communications has made the world a global village, hence the general public are enjoined to cooperate with the police through useful information dissemination and partnership in community policing for effective, reliable and quality service delivery,” he said.

     

  • 40 kidnappers arrested in Cross River

    40 kidnappers arrested in Cross River

    The Cross River State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Hafiz Inuwa, said on Thursday that 40 suspected kidnappers were arrested between February and December last year.

    Addressing journalists at the maiden press briefing of 2018, Inuwa said a total of 528 suspects were arrested for various criminal offences and 234 firearms recovered.

    He said so far in 2018, successes have also been achieved with 51 suspects arrested for various offences and several weapons recovered from them.

    “The year 2018 has come with another success story as a landmark in the command’s effort to maintain peace and order, protect lives and property and prevention of crime.

    “I want to state categorically clear that the command is determined more than ever to surmount all forms of criminalities, bust criminal hideouts and expose all criminal elements operating within the state.

    “Through communications has made the world a global village, hence the general public are enjoined to cooperate with the police through useful information dissemination and partnership in community policing for effective, reliable and quality service delivery,” the police commissioner said.

  • Two feared killed in cult war in Cross River 

    Two feared killed in cult war in Cross River 

    Two people are feared killed in a cult war in Iso-Bendege Community in Boki local government area of Cross River State.

    The warring cult groups also burnt down houses in the community.

    Members of the community it was gathered had to flee their homes into hiding in the bush for fear of being killed.

    A resident of the community said the area has been under siege since Thursday night when the incident occured.

    In a text message, the resident said, “Please don’t call me, I can’t talk for the fear of being found out. There is war in the community and we are all in the bush. They are burning down our houses and they are killing anybody in sight. I don’t know how many people they have killed but as at yesterday before we ran out of the village, two persons were already dead.”

    Police Public Relation Officer,  ASP Irene Ugbo confirmed the incident.

    She said two persons have been killed from one of the cult groups and a policeman shot.

    “The police is aware of of the incident, I think it is a cult related issue but by the grace of God, we have been able to deploy our mobile policemen to the area. Even our conventional men are also there to make sure the area is calm.

    “ As hard as it was, when our men were deployed earlier, they were attacked and one Policeman was shot but nevertheless, as I am talking to you, the area is calm. Military personnel has also been been deployed,” she said.