A
sociocultural organization, AKENNYIN INITIATIVE, have called on the Akwa Ibom
State Governor, Udom Emmanuel to emulate his Cross River State counterpart,
Prof Ben Ayade in his relationship with the Niger Delta Development Commission
(NDDC) so as to attract development to the state.
In
a statement in Uyo after the group's monthly general meeting, the National
President of the group, Hon Ndifreke Dick, said the diplomatic and team spirit
approach of Governor Ayade is worthy of emulation, a disposition he noted
Governor Emmanuel needs rather than the present antagonistic and combative
approach currently on display in the state which has impeded and undermined the
mutual collaboration and partnership needed between the state government and
the interventionist agency in order to attract development to the state.
He
noted with dismay that the politicization of development at a time responsible
governance should be employed and elevated by the Akwa Ibom State Government
calls for concern, decrying that the decision of Udom to portray the NDDC as a
threat and competitor rather than a development partner does not show signs of
responsible governance and civilized partnership.
"The
NDDC remains a development partner and that is the prism upon which the
relationship between the Akwa Ibom State government and NDDC should be based
on. The present classification of the NDDC as a competitor and an enemy because
of politics is rather unfortunate and someone has to advice the Governor
properly.", he declared.
Continuing,
he said, " Governor Ayade perhaps has come to the aid of Akwa Ibom people
by his free advice to his brother Governor if only he (Udom) will heed the
advice. Diplomacy, partnership and collaboration are vital in any attempt to
attract investment to the state by the government but when you send a message
to the outside world that portrays the state as being hostile and antagonistic
to development partners, it becomes inimical to efforts aimed at attracting
investment ".
Dick
commended the Ekere-led management board for the successful reforms initiated
and implemented in just less than a year in office, expressing hope that if the
ongoing reforms are sustained, the Niger Delta region as well as the country
will witness an unprecedented level of economic growth, stability and
development with a manpower poll that will accelerate the much needed
industrial revolution capable of birthing a diversified economy.
Its
could be recalled that Governor Benedict Ayade of Cross River State on
Wednesday stated the commitment of his government to partner with the Niger
Delta Development Commission (NDDC) for the development of the state,
submitting that fighting the commission was against his style.
"Cross
River State has been very cautious on comments about NDDC. For me, aggression
and fighting is not my style. For me, it is always better to sit down and share
thoughts. For me as a professor, I cannot be involved in boundary politics. I
like the new spirit of NDDC and if you can sustain it, it will be good. We are
partners in progress. All the nine member-states and NDDC must work
together," Ayade said when hosting the NDDC management team who paid him a
courtesy visit at Government House, Calabar.
The
Governor lamented that Cross River State had the least number of NDDC projects
and appealed to the commission's leadership to allocate more projects for the
state.
He
appealed particularly to the NDDC Board Chairman, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba,
and the Managing Director, Mr. Nsima Ekere, both of who he described as his
close friends and sons of the soil, to use their good offices to help the
state.
"Ndoma-Egba,
do something. Nsima Ekere, do something. I believe NDDC can bail out Cross
River State because truly I have four of my friends on the board of NDDC, four
sons of Cross River State. Cross River and Akwa Ibom are one. I am at home with
the NDDC team. I speak to your soul beyond politics. Please look at the plight
of Cross River State. Unfortunately, NDDC operates on the quantum of oil
production in allocating projects. So, Cross River State has the least number
of projects. MD, you run the day-to-day affairs of NDDC. You are my very good
friend. In the NDDC, Cross River State is the weakest partner. That should
engage your attention the most. Afrocentric fathers place more emphasis on the
weakest child in the family. But now, I see NDDC putting much more projects in
states that already have billions," he said.
Ayade
particularly urged the NDDC to partner with the State Government in the
development of the Bakassi Deep Seaport and the Super Highway, two signature
projects of his administration.
He
also solicited the commission's collaboration in the exploration of large gas
and oil deposits across the state as revealed by preliminary investigations.
The
Governor charged the present NDDC leadership to deliver, saying, "I can't
see how two young people like yourselves and the two Executive Directors cannot
surprise the world. NDDC under your watch can't be NDDC as usual. You have the
capacity. You have the drive. You must make a difference. I want you to leave
the place as shining stars."
Responding,
Ekere, who spoke after Ayade on the Governor's insistence, promised that the
commission would work on more projects for Cross River State.
"I
felt inspired when I listened to the Governor of Cross River State speak. We
are encouraged because the Governor of Cross River State has spoken today about
the need for collaboration with NDDC. We will re-engineer our processes so that
we can collaborate more with the Cross River State Government. In an environment
where some Governors say they don't need projects, we find the Cross River
State Governor saying he needs more projects. Your Excellency, we will give you
more," he said.
Apart
from projects, the NDDC boss said the commission was working on human capacity
development especially of the youths of the region, hence the recent
collaboration with NEXIM Bank.
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