Cross River is a state that hugely depends on the allocation accrued to it from the Federal Government to carry out its basic Function. Arguably, It is no fault of ours, that as a state we find ourselves in such a situation, but definitely it we will have ourselves to blame as a people if we fail to take the state out of such a pitiable situation.
HE, Sen. Prof Benedict Ayade, has taken frantic efforts all In a bid to decouple the state from what he calls "over dependency on Federal Allocation". Ayade believes Cross River State having been a Capital City of this country can as well assume the economic status of Lagos state which controls over 40% of the nation's economic activities without depending on Federal Allocations.
To achieve this, the has embarked on an aggressive industrial and Agricultural revolution, setting machineries in place to ensure a smooth scaling of the entire industrialization process. Permit me at this point to say that, Ayade means well for Cross River State.
Only recently, the Federal Government flag off the wet season farming in Cross River which took place in Ayade industrial park, the Rice seedling Farm, after fully completed in few months away promises to be a center of attraction to the world, with Cross River at taking the center stage in Rice seedlings production across the continent and beyond.
As a first step, the state recently got the approval of the Federal Government to supply rice seedlings to all the South South states Worth about 3 billion Naira. This is a clear indication that the factory is already paying off as we have started ripping already from the golden initiative of our digital Governor.
For critique who have never seen anything Good about Gov Ayade, to an extent, I wouldn't want to blame you, because it is almost normal to misunderstand a man like Ayade, because of his style of governance and leadership. No matter what one will have to say against the governor, definitely nobody can argue that Ayade as taken governance a step further from the conventional where government will have to wait for Federal Allocation at the end of every months before salaries are paid and other necessary needs met.
Gov Ayade constantly thinks outside box, that is the secret behind his success story. Critique see his project as elephant in nature and they have laughed him to scone believing most of these projects are unachievable because they compare the product with what the state generates monthly and what comes in as allocation from the federal government.
On the contrary, governor Ayade thinks otherwise, thus his numerous oversees journeys to woo investors into the state, yet this has attracted several criticism. But we forget that we need these foreign investors partner with the state to get her working again and give her financial independent.
Only few days ago, the governor allocated a piece of land to Chinese Engineers to construct a motor Park for the state and the internet went agog with strong criticism, critic questioned why should we depend on foreigners to build common motor park for us. One truth we have blindly refused to tell ourselves is that, with low allocation the state receives, and her inability to borrow due to the already existing debt from previous administrations and also with the state servicing those debt, there is no how she can fund any project and still pay salaries and other basic needs. The best any government in the same shoes Cross River has found herself will do is to toe the part of investors. And that is clearly what Ayade is doing.
In all his strides to make cross River financially independent and looking all the projects conceived by this government, I sometimes wonder if any of these critics have ever sat down to think what Cross River will look like should Ayade's industrialisation dream for the state come to fruition?
Therefore, let me summit by saying, Federal Government Allocation is neither a cures or a blessing but should be a plus to the state, and the digital supersonic Governor HE, Sen. Prof. Ben Ayade is making that happen in the nearest Future what he needs is our prayers, support and commitment and not destructive criticism.
As I summit, if our definition of deceiving the state, is getting the CBN to invest in my state with about 11b then Gov Ayade is on the right track and I encourage him to do more.
Thank you.
My name is Abang Joe Atelhe
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