By CrossRiverWatch Admin
It is natural for people to constantly criticize those in power and authority whether they be elected officials, political appointees, heads of departments and so on.
Undoubtedly, It is not out of place for citizens to criticize their leaders as policies and programmes deployed by those in authority directly or indirectly affects the socio-economic wellbeing of their immediate society.
The essence of constructive criticism is important to every society to check leadership and policy makers, however mischievous political gladiators can employ destructive criticism aimed at destroying their opponents for selfish and personal reasons.
When an administration has had the kind of awards in good governance and adjudged the best in the country by countless renowned/global outfits as the administration of Senator Ben Ayade home and abroad, one will imagine this administration shouldn’t have any kind of negative/destructive propaganda.
Unfortunately, in the midst of men of goodwill, in the midst of men who are driven by the desire to move their society forward are desperate and greedy men, blackmailers corrupted by their selfish desire to achieve their goals even if it means destroying the state.
For the avoidance of doubt, In Cross River State, a desperate cartel has emerged and are on a campaign to destroy the administration of Senator Ben Ayade.
The mandate of the evil machinery they formed is to spread falsehood, propaganda, outright lies against the current administration and confuse the gullible public.
Unfortunately, most of their recruits on the social media have exhausted all the lies they can possibly muster, as the public have identified them as cheap crooks; the more they spread their cheap lies and propaganda, the more the administration is achieving landmark successes and receiving awards.
When other states are owing salaries running into months, exposing their state workers to untold hardship saddled with this era of hyper inflation amidst the recession; how this administration has been able to pay salaries with the occasional zero allocation from the federation is a wonder.
It is public knowledge that Cross River has the lowest allocation but workers receive their salaries between 18th and 25th of every month.
When other states are trying to cut down their workforce for lack of funds to pay salaries, the Cross River State administration has lifted the embargo on employment, MDA’s are currently employing.
The ongoing recession doesn’t appear to be affecting anyone in the state, the prompt payment of salaries has ensured there is enough money in the hands of the common man. The state has become the envy of other states.
Currently trending all over the country is the Cross River State Health Insurance Scheme christened “Ayadecare” which the governor signed into law a couple of weeks ago.
This is one health reform likely to cause a socio-medical revolution in Nigeria and in Africa as a whole.
It has been confirmed that many states and the federal governments are already making numerous inquiries about the programme in a bid to adopt it as a national model.
“Ayadecare” which is aimed at providing a platform for the poor who cannot afford quality medical healthcare, accessing unlimited medical healthcare with just one thousand naira per month is an absolute service to humanity.
This administration also has secured a partnership with DANA (an Indian manufacturing conglomerate) to collaborate with the state government to develop a pharmaceutical outfit in Calabar to be known as CALAPHARM pharmaceutical to manufacture drugs locally.
When CALAPHARM becomes operational, it is going to serve as the only drug manufacturing plant in the South South and South East with massive capacity for employment.
What more, the Calabar Garment Factory has already received so much accolade from the National Union of Textile Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria (NUTGTWN); the Minister of Labour, Dr. Chris Ngige was stunned by the sheer size and sophistication of the Calabar Garment Factory when he visited; a factory reckoned to be the biggest in Africa with the capacity to employ about 3,000 workers.
For three thousand persons to be taken out of the army of unemployed is a startling number accounting for garment and textile sector.
The Inspector General of Police Ibrahim Idris has expressed the intention of the Nigeria Police Force to partner the Cross River State Government on the Calabar Garment Factory by sewing uniforms for its officers and men from the factory.
I can go on and on with projects and good policies that will revolutionize Cross River State which this administration has piloted. The governor has travelled the world over wooing investors and indeed his trips were very successful.
In the next three to four months, Cross Riverians will start witnessing the implementations of all the MOU’s which the governor signed. There will be lots of job opportunities for our teeming youths, Cross River State will be transformed before our very eyes.
When a man has done well, he should be encouraged to do more, our governor has shown character, wisdom and a clear path to revolutionizing our dear State. He should be given all the support needed.
For those who out of selfish personal goals have sworn never to see any good in others, those whose occupation is to malign, destroy and assassinate the character of others including pulling down their own society or state just to get some sense of satisfaction, I say, change from your evil ways; It is not so difficult to give peace a chance. Stop this evil campaign of calumny.
Beulah Asuquo is the Vice President, Pan African Good Governance Council, Nigeria District.