By Sylvia Akpan, Government House Correspondent
Governor Bassey Otu of Cross River State has called on traditional rulers of Yala Local Government Area in the State to foster healthier communal relationship, peaceful co-existence and good neighborliness among each other.
The Governor charged the Royal Fathers to always sue for peace among themselves as his administration bids to explore the LGAs huge agriculture potentials as well as reposition it to its once reputed place as the food basket of the State in Nigeria.
According to his Chief Press Secretary Gill Nsa, Governor Otu made the call when he received a delegation from the Yala speaking people of Yala LGA, led by their Paramount Ruler, Ogamode Clement Onah Ipuole, in Calabar.
Speaking of his administration’s commitment to return the renowned Okuku market in Yala Local Government to a thriving local commodity hub of international standard, he assured his government will open up roads for ease of transportation of goods from the interior communities to the urban areas and markets.
“We want the cooperation of our traditional authorities to nib the avoidable records of communal clashes and other disputes in the bud.”
He noted that the State was carrying out proper reforms to make sure that agriculture is well positioned as the mainstay of Cross River State’s economy and maintained that security and other structures that would entrench sanity in the area are being put in place.
Otu promised to look at requests made by the delegation with the view of uplifting the living standard of the Yala people, and expressed optimism that in the near future when the envisioned Okuku commodity market becomes a reality, the State government would definitely make areas like Okpoma and Okuku urban towns as the agricultural potentials of the area have all the trappings to make Yala an urban and commercial nerve center in the northern part of the State.
In his remarks, the Paramount Ruler, Ogamode Clement Onah Ipuole, said the Yala speaking people were in the governor’s office to identify with him and show solidarity in his leadership.
Ogamode Ipuole, who was represented by Ogamode Odaji Ipuole, stated that “We have come here to assure him that we will continue work with him, stand by him at all times and support him all through his tenure as the governor of Cross River State.”
The Royal Father drew the attention of the governor to teething challenges bothering the area, some of which he mentioned to include: access roads linking the various communities, lack of portable drinking water, upgrade of the Okuku local food commodity market to international standard.
He also appealed for the creation of an irrigation dam in Yala to boost food production; exploration of the huge salt deposits in the area and establishment of a salt industry; expansion of the Okuku campus of the University of Cross River State to a full-fledged university, among others.
Also speaking, a major stakeholder in Yala and Chief Higgins Peters, expressed satisfaction at the outcome of the meeting and the governor’s assurances to address issues they presented before him.
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