By Our Correspondent
Concerted efforts geared towards equiping youths with technological and educational skills as well as an effective tax system will make Cross River have a prosperous future said the gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2015 general elections, Odey Ochicha on his message to commemorate 50 years of the state’s creation.
Ochicha who is the chairman of the Governing council of the Federal Polytechnic, Ille-Uju, Ondo State made this known in a statement signed by himself and issued by his spokesperson, Inyali Peter over the weekend and called on the current administration to focus on programs that will have direct impact on the Cross Riverians and not focus on only gigantic projects.
The statement read: “As the state join other league of city states that were created on May 27th 1967 from the former Eastern region of Nigeria by the General Yakubu Gowon led regime, I wish to heartily felicitate with our dear state on the occasion of her 50th Anniversary. Indeed we have come of age in various aspects of our growth and development and have over the years strive to keep pace with other states in the scheme of things.
“However, on this occasion of Cross River at 50, I wish to call on the administration of Gov. Ben Ayade to put in place a policy framework for a technologically driven system as well as implement an effective tax system that will help restore our pride of place as the tourism hub of the nation.
“For us as a state to be prosperous in future, concerted efforts must be geared towards equipping our youths with technological and educational skills that can be used to provide solutions to the numerous challenges currently plaguing us.
“We must also take a holistic look at the ease of doing business and our tourism sector. Power and water supply should be given a boast if we intend to make progress as a state. Indeed you will agree with me that we have not had it this bad before where even the state capital will be in dire need of water supply.
“I therefore call on the authority to with a matter of urgency, think, plan and implement an action plan that can restore sanity to the power as well as water supply sub-sector in the state.”
He commended Profiles and Biographies, an information company for bequeathing Nigeria’s President, Muhammadu Buhari with a ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ for doing the state “special favors.”
On the Governor, Senator Ben Ayade’s second year in office, He said: “We have not had it this bad before that while other state governors are commissioning roads, and other developmental projects that have direct bearing on their people, we are celebrating rebranding of logos and signing of uncountable MOUs as part of our achievements as a government. I urge the administration of Gov. Ben Ayade to have a rethink and channel most of his energy towards implementing policies that will touch the lives of our people,” and called for people to eschew negative vices to develop the state.
“Finally, Cross River is greater than any party or individual. Let us therefore eschew malice, hatred, egoistic tendencies, alliances and hypocrisy and join hands and hearts with one another in moving our dear state forward. Moving forward is better for our dear state and for all of us,” the statement read.
Leave feedback about this