By Jonathan Ugbal: Government House Correspondent
Cross River Governor, Senator Ben Ayade says that God who put him in office will not stop the “great projects” which he placed him there to do as he will not put a clog in the wheel of progress in the state.
Ayade stated this today Friday in Calabar while addressing a crowd of no fewer than 5,000 people who turned out in a solidarity march at the Margaret Ekpo International Airport where he spoke extensively on the need for Cross Riverians to put their faith in God despite challenges being faced.
The governor who has been away for a month pointed out that he means well for Cross River State,: “All the dreams to open up our natural resources, to create the rice city, to create those big fat rice farms, the garment factory, to create jobs to build the deep sea port, all of these great projects, God will never stop them.”
Ayade who could not turn away from the legal issues at hand, after been prayed for, said that; “The people of Cross River State are a very patient people, very peaceful people. we have a heritage that is akin to people who love each other. Never in the history of Cross River State have we had a situation where brothers fight at this extreme level. Let it be God’s will that he brings peace and brings unity. Let God’s judgment prevail.
“When we started, we knew the situation of our people. I am a child born into poverty, so I understand the circumstances of my people. I sought out with a clear idea that as long as we continue to do only the tradition in government, our people will continue to suffer. I decided to go deep, go into the freshest and deepest ideas to find a way that we can completely decouple Cross River State from dependence on federal allocations” Ayade said.
“It was against that background that I decided to conceive big deep projects that ordinarily will be beyond the capacity of Cross River State. For once God is in front, once God is leading, when you are righteous people and when the righteous people are on (the) throne, God will take control” he added.
Also, he said that the Bakassi deep sea port and the Super highway have been completely designed with the route for the Super highway completely surveyed and fully opened up waiting for final approval for construction to start.
The Governor who expressed confidence that justice comes from God alone further stated that: “Everyday of my life I only think about the salaries of my people, that is all I do. If that is all I can achieve, let me achieve it. In my inauguration, I said no person should go to bed with an empty stomach. So that is why I focused on salaries. That small insignificant salary, in spite of our allocations, it seeps down to the grass roots.
“We don’t have the money, but we have the spirit, we have God, we have the fear of God. God will go ahead of us. Worry no more, cry no more, fear not, if the worst happens it is God’s will.”
Notable among those who welcomed him were his deputy, Professor Ivara Esu, Speaker of the House of Assembly, Hon. John Lebo and his Deputy, Hon. Joseph Bassey, Hon. Legor Idagbo and the governor’s younger brother, Dr. Frank Ayade.
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