Why We Should All Hold Governor Ben Ayade Accountable

by CITIZEN AGBA JALONGO

I will tell you why right away. Today is June 29, 2021. Governor Ayade was sworn in as our governor 2922 days ago. He has spent 2223 days already. He is left with only 699 days to handover to another governor. Within his over six years already spent, instead of creating a viable environment for investors to come and do business in our State, he promised that his government will construct at least, one industry in each of the 18 LGAs in Cross River state and run them efficiently. Some of the projects we can still remember include:

Bekwara – Edible Vegetable Oil Factory.

Yala Cotton Processing Factory.

Obanliku Rice Flour Processing Factory and new World Class Tourism Resort.

Obudu Automated Electric Metering Factory, Sesame Seed Processing Factory, Ethanol Processing Factory and Garment Factory.

Ogoja Ultra Modern Rice Mill.

Boki Palm Oil Processing Factory.

Ikom Cocoa Processing Industry.

Obubra Garivita Industry.

Abi Songhai Farm and Industries.

Yakurr Organic Bamboo And Toothpick Factory.

Etung Water Bottling Factory.

Biase Continuous Teachers Training Institute.

Akamkpa Poles, Piles and Pylon Industry.

Odukpani Banana Processing Factory.

Akpabuyo Fertilizer Factory.

Calabar South International Fish Market and Fish Processing Factory.

Bakassi Fish Processing Factory, Construction and Fabrication Academy.

Calabar Municipal, Cross Garment Factory, Cross River Rice City, Calapharm, Calachika, CallyNoddles, 23 Watts Imbeded Power Plant, Ultra Modern Central Motor Park etc.

This is apart from the Deep Sea Port, Super Highway, Obudu International Airport, CallyAir, Aerotropolis, Calas Vegas, Centicot, Northicot, Obudu New City, Obudu Imbedded Power Plant, three specialist hospitals in the three senatorial districts, AyadeCare, amongst all other kinds of ridiculous promises.

With only 699 days to go, I make bold to say that none of all these projects listed above has taken off efficiently. I mean NONE OF THEM. We only keep hearing that they are at different stages of completion nearing commissioning. The Garment Factory and Rice City, touted to be working are hanging on the balance; gulping money from government instead of adding a dime to our revenue. Aside that, none of all those factories or projects have added a dime to our IGR. Even some of them that were opened, like the Toothpick Factory in Ekori, Yakurr have long shut down.

The succession struggle has started earlier than was thought because of the decamping of the governor from PDP to APC. This struggle alone can sap all your energy as governor. It’s obvious that since Ayade decamped, all other activities in the State have been on stand still and the only project on their table now is to go to your village and decamp and send the pictures and videos to His Excellency. We don’t know when that project will be completed and commissioned so we can move on to the next thing. Ayade’s remaining time in office will be full of distractions and excuses.

What didn’t happen in 2223 days will not fall from the blues in 699 days.

But we can squeeze out the little we can from him if we all continually and consistently remind him of his promises to us as he is coasting home. Personally, I can’t stop calling him out now. It’s too late. He has to end strong. He is my brother. He is my governor and I want him to succeed.

To me as a journalist, Ayade is the “President” of Cross River state. As Buhari is to our national media, so is Ayade to CrossRiverWatch, because we are watching Cross River state deliberately. He is like our Buhari or our GEJ of yester-years. He is to us, like Biden to Fox or CNN. There is no sensible Editor of any national daily that won’t have the President either as a headline or rider everyday. The President just has to be on the front page for obvious reasons. Somehow, anyhow, the State House Correspondent must bring a headline from the villa or from the White House or from Downing St. or from Peregrino House and it’s always a breaking story. If they sleep, it’s news. If they don’t sleep, it’s news. If they eat or not, it’s news. If they go to the toilet or not, it’s news. If they carry their hands up, it’s news, if they bring them down, it’s news. If they travel or not, it’s news. If they copulate or not, it’s breaking news. If they are expecting new borns, it’s news. Infact, there is nothing they do that is not headline news. Even when our people who do not know that leaders are everyday newsmakers complain that we are worrying Ayade too much, it is still news for us. You cannot #WatchCrossRiver and not carry the governor of the State on your head. Who then are you watching? Ditto our next governor. Whoever he/she is, should prepare for the same scrutiny.

Lastly, Governor Ayade has a legion of paid appointees lavishly showering panegyrics on him for whatever they say he has done and they are perfectly doing their work. I have elected in my enterprise to help the governor by constantly reminding him of the vows he made to our people and how he hasn’t been able to meet these high promises. This has nothing to do with attacking him. It is called DEMAND FOR ACCOUNTABILITY. It is a co-efficient of democracy. The fact that you are not used to it doesn’t make it wrong. We are both doing the same thing. You are clapping for him while I, like his secretary, is daily, dropping his pending files on his table for his necessary action. We should all join hands and call him to account.

A very pleasant morning to you and always remember that, no matter what the devil smokes, he can never become the Most High. The Most High loves you.

Yours sincerely