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Tag: Cross River

  • ‘DPR seals 60 surface tanks in Akwa Ibom, Cross River’

    The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) sealed over 60 surface tanks used for dispensing kerosene without licence in Akwa Ibom and Cross River states in November and December, an official has said.

    Mr. Bassey Nkanga, DPR’s operation controller in charge of Akwa Ibom and Cross River, in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Eket Local Government of Akwa Ibom, said: “We have sealed over 60 surface tanks for dispensing kerosene without licence in my area of operations.

    “We sealed every tank whether the operators were selling or not.

    “The department needed to know where the operators lifted their product from, to prevent them from buying adulterated kerosene,’’ the official said.

    He said most of the sealed surface tanks were in Akwa Ibom State.

    Nkanga told NAN that the department was working with the Independent Marketers’ Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) to check illegal operators’ activities.

    On scarcity of kerosene, the controller said the product was not available in depots in Akwa Ibom.

    He said the Federal Government was doing its best to ensure its availability.

    “Kerosene is a domestic energy source. The government is very sensitive; it is doing its best to ensure kerosene is available and sold at the approved pump price,’’ Nkanga said.

    The DPR controller told NAN that the department had received 40 applications from Akwa Ibom State residents for licence to sell kerosene with surface tanks.

    He urged other kerosene marketers to obtain licence, warning that defaulters will be punished.

  • C’River to establish cement plant, limestone company

    C’River to establish cement plant, limestone company

    The Cross River Government has secured operational licenses from the Federal Government to establish its own Cement Factory and Limestone Quarry in Akamkpa Local Government Area of the state.

    Mr George O’Ben-Etchi, the Commissioner for Solid Minerals Development,  made the disclosure on Wednesday in Calabar when he met with the newly appointed members of the state Solid Minerals Development Board.

    “We have our licenses for the state’s Cement Plant (CROSSCEMCO) and Limestone Quarry.

    “According to the governor’s plan, the two projects amongst other things, will feed the construction of Super Highway Project,’’ he said.

    The commissioner stressed the need for members of the board to work as a team with all stakeholders in the sector to realise the overall aim of the government.

    He advised the members to put aside their individual interests and work for the development of the state.

    “Everybody’s opinion should be given equal attention; make use of what is necessary today and save the rest for tomorrow.

    “Use our collective initiatives to work and not wait for the governor; you are appointed to support him and make his work of developing the state’s economy easier.

    “We have to think outside the box to be able to understand his vision.

    “I and the entire workforce of the Ministry will work with your board and any other board to achieve and maintain success,’’ O’Ben-Etchi said.

    He said that his ministry had begun sensitising the host communities on the need to guard what they have by not issuing out letters of consent to intending Quarry Operators.

    He accused quarry operators of going through the back door to get mineral deposits.

    He warned that the ministry would no longer tolerate such illegal deals by quarry companies.

    “We are saddled with finding out those who have or do not have licenses, those whose licenses have expired and have renewed or have refused to renew them in order to take them up to the appropriate authorities,’’ he said.

    O’Ben-Etchi said that efforts were being made by the government to involve the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) in providing motorable roads in the mining communities.

    “Since one of the major challenges the operators are faced with is bad road network, we have started discussions on how the NDDC can be brought in to build roads to ease the movement of trucks to and from the mining sites, ‘’ he said.

    In his response, Mr Offiong Yellow-Duke the Chairman, Solid Minerals Development Board, expressed appreciation to the government for finding them worthy to serve.

    He promised that the board would do its best to work with and support the Ministry to develop the solid minerals sector in the state.

    “As a board, we will work as a team, share ideas and welcome contributions.

    “We will not move faster than our shadow and your willingness to work with us will guide the board to attaining its goals,’’ he said.

  • ‘No contract on Akwa Ibom-Cross River axis of East West Road’

    ‘No contract on Akwa Ibom-Cross River axis of East West Road’

    Pastor Usani Uguru Usani is the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs. He spoke with some reporters in Calabar recently. NICHOLAS KALU was there.

    What did you meet on ground and what your priority as you took over the ministry?

    Putting things in proper perspective became our first responsibility, which so far is beginning to shape. It was just a situation before where people thought that, the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs was a platform for collecting and sharing and then insistent agitations that would suggest further sharing. There can be no better way to describe that and that was why we had more 420 billion disbursed in the Ministry and the rate of project completion was just 12 per cent. So much of waste.

    It was just nothing other than the conception that we had ascribed to ourselves of violent agitations or settlement at the detriment of the intentions of the setting up of the ministry. This is what I met. What we are trying to do is to reward contractors who have been diligent. Those who have shown due diligence in execution to be encouraged by being mobilized further to return to site. And those who are in liability against their resource mobilization to be requested or advised to return to site until they get to the levels of project execution that is commensurate with what they have gained financially.

    What is the situation of the East-West Road?

    Maybe you also need a good understanding of the history of the East West Road. It was first awarded in 2006. So today it is one decade of a project that is not complete yet has so much social and economic importance to the region. It is awarded in sections 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5. All the other sections are in progress of work except section 5, being the one linking Akwa Ibom from Oron to Calabar in Cross River State. Several segments of the East West Road are at various stages of execution. But obviously not at the same level. But section 5 has not started at all. But one thing I know is that the Section 5 which is till in my view at the level of award has been encumbered with certain procedural considerations. When the contract was awarded, it was awarded in US Dollars. Also the earlier design made suggested that of the complex bridge to link Oron and Calabar, the award carried only first phase of the contract with a partial commencement of the second phase and that means if it had started or even if it had been completed, you will never know when the second phase would awarded as to having a complete project.

    Besides, one discovers that the nature of the design was going to affect the social conditions of the two communities, Calabar and Oron because the end route in Calabar was going to empty at the roundabout at Watt Market. So if you imagine traffic to the state from the road to empty in the city centre, it means some days people would not even move from one point for hours and it was a great defect. Consider even the fact of having to pass through Egerton, where you begin to negotiate compensation, which could take one or two years before some people will agree to quit their locations and so on. So we held a confab inviting Akwa Ibom and Cross River State Government and community leaders in both states, and former technical consultants who designed the road and other consultants to run commentaries on their designs. At the end of it, we put together all our ministry engineers and engineers from the ministry of works in both states to go and work out alterative which they did and eventually all of them agreed. By the new agreed design, the road is coming out at Adiabo and it would pass through some communities in Odukpani including Creek Town, which is longer in distance, but lesser in cost. But to suggest that we would go ahead and implement that contract denominated in US Dollars would mean that at the unstable exchange rate, the contract would be open-ended. So at any given time, Nigerians would not know the naira equivalent spent on the contract which is why I felt we must do a thorough thing once and for all, because as it were, if they started or even if they were going to start on that condition, it would mean that until the end of the contract, nobody would ever know how much worth it would mean. Thank God we have got alternative designs. We have also got the contractor who signed in to do the job. We invited him to come and see the reality, quote according to what this component design entails. That is the state at which we are. We invited them because, we do not want anybody to insinuate that it is because we want to change contractors for ulterior motives that is why we are disagreeing with the first things they did. But if they fail to do that, we must be more interested in the welfare of our people and the economy of our country than patronizing people just on the basis of being contractors. So we hope that we get the response very soon. We are having the president also to give his view on that. Once that is done, we would go ahead to the next phase of signing a proper contract. For me there has been no contract on that matter because I don’t see how a sovereign nation with its own monetary and fiscal policies will be denominating its contract awards in foreign currency when all the components are locally sourced including labour. For me that is fraud.

    What would you say you have achieved since took over?

    Our achievement in the ministry is trying to shape the ministry and giving a new value orientation to the people is quite important. When we said we were going to carry out a technical audit of all the projects it was vehemently resisted by all those you can guess to be concerned. But with determination we did and it has shown that we have been unfair to ourselves in terms of the resource application vis-à-vis the outcomes. In a region that cries for development, because of the peculiar circumstances we find that the average period for completion of a particular project is 5 years inspite of the nature of the project and yet we have only 12 per cent project completion rate and 8 per cent impact. Of course all these analyses we applied standard global performance indices and you see that the only projects that have been completed have been by us within the one year. Whereas in the past there has been a façade of attempts to commission projects that were not completed at all.

    To Nigerians it may look meaningless, but without a good foundation there cannot be an established structure. Like I said the other works that are physical are continuing. We are applying our funds to them. But we have within period done something. The action plan of the ministry is being revisited and reviewed. We have also in collaboration with the UNDP done a baseline survey and we have got their report which was presented for ratification. When it is ratified it therefore means it will be ready for submission at any level for to secure assistance. Again, the process of our procurement or anything to be done in the ministry is getting a new lease and of course, you will expect that with all we are trying to initiate, our administration would remain unpopular as long as we are doing what we are trying to do. The reason is because they are those who don’t see anything good in what we are doing. But I believe that by the time we finish they will be happier.

    How about the issue of insecurity and violence in the region?

    To address the issue of insecurity and violence in the region, one needs to ask the first question, what is their reason? I have always been a crusader of the fact that the rate of disuse of the environment in the region demands specific, peculiar, special attention. However beyond that point, I am also aware that not much attention since the time of oil exploitation has been given to the region. But we thank God within the last one decade government started to look in that direction. In which case our rational action should have been to wait and see how government progresses with us, not just this administration. But instead to find unprovoked violence is what evoked curiosity in our minds to ask why. And our findings in these questions suggest more sinister motives than just lack of development in the region.

    So I think what is happening in our region in this violence perspective is a hurt to ourselves and we may not survive it beyond a certain time.

    There are people who feel the president has not been fair to the Niger Delta?

    Even those who are saying the president is not doing well enough in their hearts know that they are not telling the truth. Because inspite of the UNEP report of Ogoni clean up, who has ever initiated action if not this president? And inspite of the fact that the amnesty programme was supposed to terminate in December 2015, did this administration not extend it? It is one of the major programmes the president has even attempted to give express approval for money to be drawn from special accounts to fund. So by what means should anyone suggest that the administration of the president in particular is not fair to the Niger Delta region. By my special access to what is going on, a lot of what goes on is about 2019. They are determined that this administration must fail. According to such persons, these administration must not be allowed to have money, to function so that they will be voted out in 2019. And the sponsors are big. If they hear this they will want to crucify me, but I own it up because I know. I am not speculating.

     

  • ‘Fed Govt yet to reimburse Cross River on roads’

    The Cross River State government has said the Federal Government is yet to reimburse the N25 billion it spent on federal roads.

    Works Commissioner Mr. Dane Osim-Asu, in an interview yesterday with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Calabar, said the government made efforts through the federal controller of Works for the money, but nothing had been done.

    He said: “As I speak, nothing has been done. The Federal Government accepted that we have N19 billion claims and not N25 billion, but even at that, nothing has been done.

    “If we have such money, you know what it can do in boosting our road projects. We need that money from the Federal Government, even if it means by instalment.

    “We have seen many states being reimbursed by the Federal Government, so ours cannot be different.”

    The commissioner, however, said the money was not spent by the present administration alone, adding that it was accumulated from previous governments.

    Federal Controller of Works Mr. Chinwuba Agbara told NAN that most of the road intervention programmes by the state did not follow due process.

    His words: “Sometimes, they do not follow guidelines on the intervention. If you follow due guidelines and approval, the federal controller will jointly supervise some of the interventions.

    “We will give you the terms under which you will work, after which we will follow up your case. But when you fail to follow due process, you do that at your risk.’’

    He said it was the responsibility of the federal controller to evaluate the intervention and recommend what would be paid.

    Agbara, however, admitted the state had claims.

  • Cross River and Ayade’s development strides

    Cross River and Ayade’s development strides

    For the people of the Northern Senatorial Zone, which is made up the five Cross River Local Government Areas of Cross River State, a huge infrastructural light finally came flaming after several months of high hopes and great expectations that were nearly ruptured by 17 months of waiting, despair, frustration and cynicism.

    It was a week that Governor Ben Ayade’s developmental train made impactful stops at Obanliku, Bekwarra, Ogoja and Yala local government areas.

    For the people of the zone, it was a refreshing homecoming of a worthy son returning with plenty of game and also one that signaled the arrival of a hamper of goodies.

    On November 2, despair turned to hope, cynicism to optimism and frustration to a sense of fulfilment. On that day, the governor’s message was astoundingly clear and re-assuring-they were not forgotten in the industrialisation hurricane sweeping across the state; and while this might have taken a little while in coming, it was neither a rejection nor denial of the zone of the share of the largess.

    In a carnival-like procession, a vast concourse from different walks of life, the young and the aged, men and women, including students poured out in their thousands to receive the governor and his convoy. This was not one of the everyday visitors they have seen come and go. This particular visitor held something special.

    With a uniquely different package for each of the five local government areas in the Northern Senatorial Zone, Ayade, on arrival, immediately swung into action by unveiling what would arguably be an exceptional gift for the people of Obanliku and Bekwarra local government areas with the official inauguration and inspection by the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Godwin Emeifule of 30,000 and 20,000 hectares of rice farms in Obanliku and Bekwarra respectively, with the former belonging to the governor.

    As good entrepreneur and CEO of the state, an administrative model he has brought to bear on running the state, Governor Ayade has exhibited great skills at seeing prospects and going after them. He identifies needs and understands exactly how to translate them into results.

    An adherent apostle of President Muhammadu Buhari’s policy on self-sufficiency in rice production, Governor Ayade’s decision to venture into rice farming is a clear demonstration of his leadership by example.

    One of the earlier promises he made to the people was his open declaration to put an end to Ogoja rice processed in Abakiliki and rechristened “Abakiliki Rice”.

    In his message at the groundbreaking, the governor said: “The people of Ogoja are traditionally the number one rice growing people in the South-South of Nigeria, all the rice cultivated in Ogoja end up in other states.

    “Indeed, it is our rice and we have come to put an end from taking our rice from Cross River to somewhere else and adding to the rice cultivation statistics of other state.”

    In demonstration of his commitment, youths of farming age from Bekwarra, Obanliku and Ogoja, defied the sweltering sun in show of commitment to their governor’s rice farming initiative.

    As if to underscore the significance of the programme, Kebbi State Governor and Chairman, Presidential Committee on Rice and Wheat, Governor Atiku Bagudu, who slummed it along with the CBN Governor, through the crater-riddle Enugu-Abakiliki-Ogoja-Bekwarra Road, commended Governor Ayade for his pragmatic roles demonstrated in ensuring the country is self-sufficient in rice production, an effort he noted, had engendered over 73 co-operative groups and 2,183 farmers already mobilised in the northern part of the state for dry season farming.

    In similar manner, Emeifule, revealed that CBN had spent over N3 billion in the programme in the state so far, assuring that once there was evidence of achieved success, the bank was ready and willing to bring in more funds to the state.

    While commending Governor Ayade for his unflinching commitment towards the programme, the CBN Governor was optimistic that his effort would serve as a motivation to the people of Cross River State who were yet to key into the scheme to think of owning their personal farms and start growing rice and other essential produce.

    Having unfolded the package for Bekwarra and Obanliku, it was now the turn of the people of Yala Local Government Area where a mammoth crowd was on hand to receive their governor who came to deliver some of the dividends of his one-and-a-half years in office.

    For a community that had experienced perpetual darkness for ages, Ayade’s visit was indeed a welcome relief and a final goodbye to the nightmare.

    Speaking at the inauguration of the Imaje/Ekpirinyi electrification project, the governor lamented the long neglect of the over 10 communities and assured that never again would any community suffer such abject treatment which had cut them off from civilisation.

    While thanking Ayade for rescuing them from what he described as the cloak of darkness, Clan Head of Imaje, His Royal Highness, Ogamode Edema Ipuole, said the governor had done what others before him had either forgotten or failed to do, even as he called for corporate prayers for peace and good governance.

    Shortly before the official lighting of the Imaje/Ekpirinyi communities, Governor Ayade had carried out the biggest ritual ever performed in the lives of the people in the last 40 years and one for which the five local government areas will forever be grateful.

    As early as 7:00 a.m., the Mfom-Ogoja Junction was literally barricaded as 30,000 people, including paramount rulers, chiefs, elders, men and women, drawn from the five local government areas of the northern part of the state poured out to witness the groundbreaking/launch of the dual carriage way of Mfom-Ogoja-Yala-Bekwarra federal road being undertaken by the state government.

    But in a bid to reactivate the tempo of economic activities and increase footfalls into the famous Obudu Ranch Resort, Governor Ayade, again, showed up to inaugurate the construction work on the 133 kilometers Mfom-Okpoma-Imaje-Bekwarra-Obudu-Obanliku dual carriage road.

    The construction of the federal road which will traverse the five local government areas that constitute the Northern Senatorial District is estimated at N31 billion and it is expected to be completed in 30 months.

    Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony that was attended by his deputy, Prof Ivara Esu, House of Representatives members from the five local government areas,  the five paramount rulers as well as a huge crowd of indigenes from the five local government areas of Bekwarra, Yala, Ogoja, Obudu and Obanliku, Ayade said the milestone was the beginning of a new journey in the history of the Northern Senatorial District which, for 45 years, has been denied the luxury of driving on good roads.

    The governor lamented that the people are totally disconnected from the point of mercantile, social interactions and indeed all prospects that give people dignity.

    Ayade said: “Our economic life is completely gone, our large farms that fed the entire South-south and Southeast is gone. Our educational institutions and all that united us have gone as a result of perpetual neglect and bad roads. But God has brought us again to take our destiny into our own hands that we shall be reconnected and be united.”

    The former Senator-turned governor declared: “We will succeed because I know the trying moments of my people, the difficulty in gaining access to farm lands, locating streams, coupled with hash weather condition is over. We toil so much, pray so hard struggle so much but earn so little. God cannot forsake us at this point.”

    On the economic viability of the road, Ayade noted that “the road is not driven by ambition nor childhood propensity to achieve what you have set, but it is a thorough reflection of the yearnings and needs of our people.

    “I believe that this road is the beginning of prosperity and in the words of the Paramount Ruler of Obudu, it is clear that it is one thing that is going to build us again as a team and as a people and I l believe that the people of the Northern Senatorial District are totally united in solidarity with this road.”

    According to the governor, “it is an opportunity to attract the desired traffic from the eastern flank of the country to access our facilities at the Obudu, return back to our bustling Okuku market once again and most importantly rewrite the Ogoja’s name in our country’s map.

    “This project is anchored on a promise of decoupling our people from over dependence on government because road is a major infrastructure in the socio economic development of our state.”

    Speaking on behalf of the Traditional Rulers in the area, Paramount Ruler of Obudu, Uti Joseph-Davies Agba, described the road as an umbilical that will bind and unite the people again, even as he thanked Ayade for his pragmatism in ensuring that he brings back life to Ogoja, the oldest and most neglected local government in Nigeria.

    On his part, the Federal Controller of Works, Federal Ministry of Works, Engr. Agbara promised to support the state in its effort at constructing the road, assuring that the ministry will be on site to ensure that contractors keep to the scope, design and specification during construction.

     

  • Ten killed in Cross River communal conflict

    Ten youths were killed at the weekend in renewed  hostilities  between Usumutong and Ediba communities in Abi Local Government Area of Cross River State.

    It was gathered that both communities had been embroiled in conflicts for years over the owner of a piece of land, leading to loss of lives and property.

    A resident, who spoke in confidence yesterday, said: “On Friday, there was a burial at Usumutong. The Ediba ethnic nationality used the opportunity of the other people participating in a burial to attack. The Ediba knew that the Usumutong, because of the burial, were unprepared for any attack.

    “They are still quarrelling over a piece of land. They are saying the last time there was a conflict, the Usumutong caused so much casualties on them, so they were looking for an opportunity to strike back, and they did so on Friday. It was a revenge attack.

    “The people of Usumutong, who suffered the attack, are planning a counterattack from what I am hearing, because it is like tomorrow (Monday) is the market day of the Ediba.

    “It is actually sad because the two communities are brothers and sisters; there is no difference between them. They are just killing one another like that. It is sad that in this age of civilisation, people are still doing such.”

    The State Security Adviser Mr Jude Ngaji said security agents had been drafted to the area and normalcy restored.

    He said the government would keep its eyes open to avert another outbreak of violence.

    Ngaji said: “The governor is livid by this development because great efforts have been made to bring peace to the area. We had got respected leaders of both communities and plans were still on to ensure both communities co-exist peacefully.

    “Then, all of a sudden, this happened. There will no longer be any Mr Nice Guy in dealing with this problem. The big stick will be employed this time to check the problem. The present administration will ensure that though the problem has been age-long, it will end once and for all. We will ensure that every perpetrator of this crisis will be brought to book.”

  • We’ll kill hunger in Cross River, says Ayade

    We’ll kill hunger in Cross River, says Ayade

    Cross River State Governor Ben Ayade has said his administration will “kill hunger in the state” among the residents.

    The governor said as a farmer, he would always support fellow farmers, especially small scale women in farming, to have bumper harvests.

    Ayade spoke during a programme, tagged: Voice of Small Scale Women Farmers Organisation of Nigeria (SWOFON) on the Malabo Declaration.

    The programme was supported by Action Aid and funded by Trust Africa.

    Ayade, who was represented by his Special Adviser on Agriculture, Yvonne Idem, pledged that his administration would give priority to agriculture, despite the challenges the state was facing.

    Food and Agriculture Programme Advisor for Action Aid Nigeria, Mr Azubuike Nwokoye, said Nigeria would have been worst hit by the current recession, if small-scale women farmers had not been put in their best.

    Nwokoye regretted that women farmers had not got the priority they deserved from most government agencies, especially for their participation in the agriculture value chain development programmes.

    The governor’s aide noted that such programmes were designed and run by various government bodies.

  • Cross River SUBEB chair denies report on contracts

    Cross River State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) Chairman Dr Stephen Odey has described as untrue reports about purported anger in the state over contracts at the Board.

    Odey said the information were not only baseless, and malicious but were  also misleading.

    A statement signed by the board’s Information Officer Uchino Amatey, stressed that Odey’s administration was determined to ensure infrastructural development in schools in the state.

    The statement reads: “Cross River SUBEB is saddled with the mandate to improve basic education in the state. It is worthy of note that following Governor Ben Ayade’s release of the state’s counterpart fund of N3.8billion to enable SUBEB access its matching grant from 2012-2015, Cross River SUBEB immediately swung into action, and got approval to conduct selective tendering for supplies/professional services under the 2012-2015 Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) matching grant.

    “To ensure transparency, SUBEB executive chairman decided to have the selective bid tendering published in the Cross River State Tenders’ Journal of Wednesday, August 31 through to Tuesday, September 13, 2016.

    “The opening of technical and financial bids for the selective tendering was also carried out on September 13, 2016 at SUBEB conference room, with a representative of the Due Process and Price Intelligence Bureau and other contractors in attendance, as provided by Law.’’

    It said thereafter the SUBEB placed adverts in the media for pre-qualification of contractors.

    “The bids opening for this set of jobs was done on Tuesday, October 18 through to Wednesday with representatives of Due Process and Price Intelligence Bureau, Department of Project Monitoring and Evaluation,UBEC, members of the Budget Transparency and Accountability Network (a Non-Governmental Organisation), and contractors in attendance. The opening of bids was declared open by the chairman and was also covered by the media, it added.

    The statement said the doors of SUBEB were open for anyone seeking information about the activities of the Board, adding that the Odey administration would remain transparent, focused and committed to improving the standard of basic education in the state in line with global best practice.

     

  • ‘Cross River should not be turned to war zone’

    The leader of the Bakassi Strike Force (BSF) in Cross River State, “General” Simply Benjamin, popularly called G1, has said the group does not want to turn the state into another war zone.

    He told reporters in Calabar yesterday that they laid down arms and embraced peace to ensure that the problems confronting Bakassi people, such as slavery, rape, exploitation, lack of means of livelihood and abandonment by the government, were addressed.

    Represented by his counsel, Ozinko Ozinko, Benjamin said BSF was involved in a five-year war against Cameroonian gendarmes, tackling  pirates and illegal fishing trawlers operating on the waters, but were “betrayed by the action of the soldiers, who invaded the desecrated land of our ancestors and the base of BSF.”

    His words: “On September 2, the Army invaded the innocent people and land of Efut Esighi and Bakassi. We can never tolerate such betrayal and provocation. Hence on September 25 our patriotic fighters confronted the soldiers and casualties were recorded on both sides.

    “The BSF is ready to defend our motherland, our people and God-given resources with the last drop of blood. Having been abandoned for all these years and sold into Cameroon by the Nigerian government, we hoped that the Amnesty Programme of the late President Umaru Yar’Adua would address the fundamental issue of Bakassi, while taking care of the hundreds of fighters who dedicated their lives to this noble cause. But as usual, after his death, corruption entered and selective amnesty was done, leaving us out even after we applied and offered to lay down arms and pursue a peaceful dialogue.

    “The government knows our capacity and dedication. Cameroon gendarmes who we have captured know our capacity and strength. But we do not want to turn Cross River State into another war zone. We will not attack the national assets in our zone. But the provocation must stop.

    “With the intervention of well-meaning Nigerians and international friends, who we shall not name for now, we have again offered to lay down our arms, embrace peace and work with the government to ensure Bakassi people and their problems bordering on refugee, slavery, rape, foreign exploitation, lack of means of livelihood and abandonment by the government are addressed.

    “As a mark of good faith and demonstration of seriousness, on November 8 we returned the weapons of our fighters seized during the last confrontation with the Army at the agreed drop off zone.

    “We call on the whole world and United Nations to note this unilateral declaration of ceasefire and return of seized weapons, while we remain vigilant and wait for the response from the Nigerian government. But we will not wait forever while maggots continue to feed on our land and resources and we die of hunger, rape, slavery and oppression.

    “For now, we will maintain our independence and refuse to take up the offers we have been receiving to team up with other international groups and local freedom fighters for more effective confrontation and destabilisation of Nigeria.

    “Beware of vultures who seek to profit from the struggles of our people and will come out to claim to represent BSF. When the government shows seriousness and readiness to end the war in Bakassi, we will name our representatives for the peace talks.”

  • 2016 Carnival: Cross River assures tourists of security

    The Cross River State government has assured residents and tourists coming for the annual Calabar carnival of security.

    Special Adviser to Governor Ben Ayade on Event Management Mr. Ken Aklah

    gave the assurance in Calabar during an on-the-spot assessment of the carnival village.

    Aklah, the chairman of the 2016 Carnival Committee, said Governor Ayade had introduced a new security outfit called the ‘Homeland Security’, to boost the security network.

    He said last year’s carnival witnessed security challenges, but the government had taken steps to ensure that this year’s carnival is celebrated peacefully.

    “We had a few security challenges last year; but this year’s carnival will be celebrated peacefully because ‘Operation Delta Safe’ has been extended to Cross River State by the Federal Government,’’ Aklah said.

    He said the carnival village was moved from the Botanical Garden in Calabar South to Calabar Municipal Garden to provide more funfair for tourists.

    The governor’s aide said the move was also in line with the 2016 carnival theme of ‘Climate Change’’, as it would allow full regeneration to occur at the botanical garden.

    According to him, it was also important to move the carnival village to the municipal garden because it was central and could host many tourists during the festival.

    “The projection is that many people can no longer afford the dollar to go abroad for the Christmas season funfair; hence Calabar is an easy but quality alternative for a good dose of fun.

    “A lot of people have indicated interest to come to Calabar for the festival this year,’’ he said.

    Aklah said work at the Christmas village was nearing completion, as about 80 shops had been provided for freelance vendors, and enough space for sponsors.

    NAN reports that the one month festival will begin on December 1 and end on January 1, 2017.

    The Chairman, Calabar Carnival Commission, Mr. Gab Onah, said the commission had introduced innovations into the carnival, which included the modification of the Bikers Festival, decentralisation of the carnival flag-off route and others.

    He said this year’s carnival will witness increase in international participating countries.