Breaking News: Eight C’River Legislators on Their Way to Sri Lanka

story by crossriverwatch admin

Eight members of the Cross River State House of Assembly and the Clerk of the House are on their way to Colombo, Sri Lanka to attend the 58th Annual Conference of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association CPA, scheduled to hold from September 7 to 15, 2012.

Crossriverwatch reliable gathered that the lawmakers left Calabar yesterday for Lagos where they were lodged in a five star hotel around Ikeja GRA area prior to their departure this evening. According to our source, they are expected to depart tonight with Emirate Airlines. The flight will transit Dubai before heading for Colombo in Sri Lanka. The nine member trip includes the Majority Leader of the House Rt. Hon. Moses Onoh (PDP) and the Minority Leader, Hon. Alex Irek (ACN).

The event is an annual Commonwealth Parliamentary Association conference that brings together over 800 parliamentarians and parliamentary staff from 175 CPA branches to discuss and share experiences pertaining to strengthening of parliamentary democracy throughout the Commonwealth.

A reliable source in the Cross River State House of Assembly disclosed to crossriverwatch that “the conference does not require any member to pay before attending. Accommodation is paid for by the organizers. There are just a few personal bills that the organizers require participants to pay for themselves. Nevertheless, the trip will cost the state between 20,000 US Dollars to 25,000 US Dollars. That will cover their out of station allowances otherwise known as Estacode, the logistics cost of local transport and hotel before their departure and other miscellaneous expenses that may be required to make them comfortable on their trip”.

But in an interview, the Chairman, House Committee on Information Hon. Ngim Okpo told crossriverwatch that “I am not in a position to confirm or deny that the trip will cost the state 25,000 Dollars because I don’t react to public rumours. But this event is an event amongst those that have statutory allocations budgeted for them.”

According to Hon. Okpo, “no knowledge is a waste particularly in this era of globalization. The world is moving to where if you are left behind, your guess will be as good as mine. The CPA is a very important forum for legislators like ours who work in an environment where the people are yet to come to terms with the role of the legislature. It was also important that our legislators participate because of the opportunity that was available for them.”

It was not immediately clear whether the lawmakers will participate in the excursions lined up after the conference as there are expected to return on Wednesday. Conference organizers have lined excursions for participants to tour Colombo, Kandy, Koggala and Sigiriya and experience the rich cultural and natural ambiance of the country before their departure.

- by: Akan Banku
- 12 years ago
Honourable Ngim Okpo should learn to know how to talk on public issues. People like him make the enforcement of Freedom of Information Bill a necessity. If he does not react to rumours, he should not have even pretend to educate us(members of the public) about the gains of the CPA congress. To say the least, Okpo should respect himself.
- by: Dr Theo Onyuku
- 12 years ago
WHAT A WASTE.WHAT AN INCREDIBLE WASTAGE.WHAT A PRODIGALITY.WHAT A PROFLIGACY.WHAT A FINANCIAL IRRESPONSIBILITY OF WASTEFUL GOVERNMENT AMIDST OIL OF OIL WELL REVENUE.AND HDP ASKS AGAIN WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OFTHIS USELESS, WORTHLESS JAMBOREE TO A WAR- RAVAGED SRI LANKA TO THE GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF CRS.WHAT BILL,MOTION OR LAW HAS THIS BUNCH OF POLITICAL MARAUDERS WITH MINIMAL EDUCATION ENACTED SINCETHEIR INCEPTION IN 2007 THAT HAS ADDED VALUE TO THE LIVES OF THE COMMON MAN..WELL,HDP HOLDS THE CRS PEOPLE RESPONSIBLE,WHEN THEY HAD A GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY TO EFFECT CHANGE,THEY OPTED FOR PITTANCE,KOBO-KOBO,A CUP OF RICE,2 CUBES OF MAGGI,A PACK OF INDOMIE NOODLES.TODAY, WHAT HAVE FHE PEOPLE GAINED SINCE 2007?NO JOBS ,DEAD SCHOOLS/HOSPITALS,GANG KILLINGS, RUTHLESS HKE IN SCHOOL FEES, MASSIVE TAXATION AND EXTORTION OF POOR ROAD USERS BY A DUBIOUS AGENCY TAGGED DOPT,HARASSMENT OF POOR STREET TRADERS IN THE NAME OF RICKETY TOURISM DRIVE.
- by: Declan Ogar
- 12 years ago
ANOTHER ATTEMPT OF FEEBLE MINDEDNESS AND CLUELESS INDEED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
- by: Lady Ann
- 12 years ago
I think this is a welcome idea. The legislators will have the opportunity of interacting with their counterparts from other parts of the world. They will be more educated on issues of governance and the role of legislators in good governance.They will also share ideas and see how things are done in other parts of the world.part of our problem is lack of exposure and lack of education. let them avail themselves of this opportunity to serve us better.
- - by: Emil
  - 12 years ago
  Wow! . We’re speechless . The pitecrus are AMAZING!! They capture so many special moments of our day with so much style . It was a pleasure getting to know you and having you around us on our special day . Jo and Jon Pimblett xx
- by: admin
- 12 years ago
Hon. Okpo is not honourable. he is not a sincere person. the reality is that may be this medium has come to stay. to give us the opportunity to ask them questions.

Ok. dont the people of CRS deserve to know how much the lawmakers will be spending on the trip? cos i even think $25,000 is meagre. it is okpo that can tell us the truth. that is why he is chair of the information committee.

why is he dodging the question? we need to know, we have to know, we must know. it is our money. give us account of how you are spending it. when they return, let them give us the value for money spent. cross river watch, go after them and let them tell us what they brought back from sri lanka. remember we just lost 76 oil wells. we must get value for every dime we spend now you know
- by: Peyman
- 12 years ago
Yes, Donald looks the look and talks the talk but can he walk the walk? Tinapa sounds great and Obudu & the New Year cvalirans certainly seem to have boosted Cross River’s tourism, even if only within Nigeria, but are the schools in Cross River any better? The roads, the hospitals? And what happened to those pineapple plantations that were going to feed the world? I’m not in aposition to answer these questions, but perhaps those “on ground” can?I was disappointed once on a visit home to be overtaken on the 3rd Mainland Bridge by a siren-blaring motorcade escorting his wife and children somewhere…for me it’s many of these little things that count…although I find that these things can be catching. I’ve watched many friends inflate and deflate as they have ascended and descended the Nigerian political ladder…