By Our Correspondent
Cross River State Governor, Senator Ben Ayade has already hit the ground running barely few days after assuming office, as he has unveiled plans to establish a garment industry, cocoa processing plant, rice mill and a modular refinery in the state.
Other investments also to be established by the administration, according to Ayade include Banana Farm to create value chain, tank farm city, marine transport service, dairy farm, poultry farm, pharmaceutical company, maize farm, quarries, cement factory, as well as an afforestation project.
The Governor disclosed this today during a meeting with heads of commercial banks and financial institutions operating in the state.
He enjoined the representatives of the banks to look beyond managing the state’s Internally Generated Revenue and payment of workers’ salaries to seeing how they can partner the state to actualize its dream of becoming a business hob not only in the South-South geopolitical zone but within the Western and Central Africa sub-zone.
According to him, “These (investments) are expected to create new revenue heads, new vista of opportunities that have not been exploited before and I therefore enjoin you to submit proposals on how you can key into these projects as well as my signature projects which include super dual carriage highway from Calabar through Ikom and Ogoja terminating at Obudu fitted with street lights and internet antenna as well as a new Calabar sea port envisioned to boost commerce with the northeast flank of the country.”
The governor explained that while, he expects the banks to look at issues relating to leakages in IGR, they should also think of how they could partner the state in its proposed tree planting program, building of a trailer park with a hotel and a radio communication system.
He said he expects the banks to send in proposals on how they would key into the vision to ensure that the new town, which the state intends to build, no matter its seize beats other existing towns in the country.
While assuring them that all banks operating in the state will be engaged by government in one way or the other with no bank enjoying monopoly, Ayade disclosed that workers’ salaries are to be paid on the 25th of every month.
On tourism, the governor enjoined them to be part of the Carnival Calabar which is the flagship of Calabar Festival as part of their corporate social responsibility (CSR), promising that this year’s edition will be greater and bigger.
He stressed that it was time people rose above fears and challenges and think big because “When everything is fixed, Cross River is fixed and when Cross River is fixed, your bank is fixed.”
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4 commentsOn Ayade Unveils Plans For Garment Factory, Rice, Cocoa Processing
I pray the good Lord grants you the grace and enablement to achieve all these thereby creating job opportunities for graduates like us within the state.
Your excellency you seem to be a man of faith and great hopes. I pray your dream for cross river state is achieved.
We pray all dis would come to pass.
The governor is sounding the right tunes that we all can dance to. The projects he has outlined will generate revenue as he said and with the banks joining hands with him, success will be assured.
The importance of the payment of salaries cannot be overemphasized. When one’s source of livelihood is from the salary one earns, nothing can be as destabilizing as being deprived of that income for months.
Let’s hope that salaries not being paid for months becomes a thing of the past. Payment by the 25th of the month is ideal.
I pray that God continues to guide you throughout the tenure of your office as that is the only thing I can do from very far away.
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