By Godwin Ajom
As the proposed nationwide protest gathers momentum and is met with mixed reactions, the government of Cross River State has continued the anti-protest campaign to entertainers and influencers in the State.
The State Government has continuously taken the crusade of dissuading Cross Riverians from joining the protest. The latest of those engagements is the interaction with online influencers and entertainment clusters across the state.
However, during the engagement held in Calabar, on Monday July 29, 2024 some of the stakeholders expressed their resolve to join the protest citing difficulty at work places, low or no salaries, unemployment and high cost of living.
The Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr. Erasmus Ekpang and former Commissioner for Tourism Eric Anderson, who led the campaign side the State has developed phobia for protest after the 2020 #ENDSARS experience.
They opines that the protest will not solve the problem of the country except through dialogue. Though there have been calls to return fuel subsidy, and as well as the government to create job opportunities.
The Special Assistant to Governor Bassey Otu on General Duties, Barrister Akiba Ekpenyong, recounted that “As a State we had a terrible experience during the #ENDSARS in 2020 and we don’t want that affliction to arise the second time, considering side-by-side the negative implications.”
On how the government intends to implement the demands of citizens, Akiba said “Our modalities are very simple, we are taking stock of the problems of Cross River people; the ceding of Bakassi, distribution of equitable resources, increased revenue for Cross River, plus local and foreign interventions by way of investments, infrastructure and employment.
According to him, “We are seeking a platform where people’s challenges are met generally. In terms of Health, security, education, road infrastructure and employment. Yes there is hunger and insecurity, but as a government we are deliberately working on measures to assuage hardship in Cross River State.”