OPINION: Cross River South; Biggest Beneficiary of Ayade’s Government

The exemplary leadership qualities of the Cross Rivers state Governor, Prof. Ben Ayade has continued to receive commendations with many stakeholders extolling his landmark achievements.



In this piece, Otu Ita x-rays the achievements of Governor Ben Ayade and many more.


If the truth must be told, of all the senatorial regions of Cross River State, the.  southern senatorial zone stands out as the biggest beneficiary of the government of Prof. Senator Ben Ayade. Unfortunately, however, citizens from Cross River South seem to be at the forefront of the strident critics of the Governor Ayade dynamic government.



The question that readily comes to mind as a fellow citizen of Cross River Southern senatorial zone is; why are our people exhibiting this undesirable level of ingratitude to a man who has deliberately embarked on a mission to transform the structural architecture  of the southern senatorial zone for good. The only answer one can adduce for this bellicose disposition to the digital government of Prof Ayade is mischief and handiwork of enemies of progress.


One can say here without equivocation that the Southern senatorial zone has never had it so good in a long time. In retrospect, one cannot point at any government that bestowed so much infrastructure and development in the southern senatorial zone at any given time. For Governor Ayade's indelible imprint in southern senatorial zone, the citizens of the zone owe him a token of appreciation by ensuring that he is returned for a second term in office. He has proven beyond doubt that his legacy in Cross River State will stand the test of time.


Sadly, one indigene of southern senatorial zone who has refused to acknowledge the great strides of the Cross River state digital governor, Prof Ayade, is Chief Edem Edem Duke. One can say this is rather unfortunate because the Chief is one of the illustrious sons of the zone and ought to be forthright in his assertions. Incidentally, Chief Edem appears to be on a mission to denigrate the good work of Governor Ayade in the southern senatorial zone in particular and Cross River State in general and thereby undermine the governor's impeccable records of achievement.


I have taken the pains to study some of his claims as contained in articles ascribed to him and I must affirm that it is either the Chief is being misled and is attempting to mislead well meaning citizens of the zone or he is unwittingly expressing his ignorance and strenuously attempting to sell them to citizens of the zone as facts.


Let's take a cursory look at some of his assertions to be able to discern their hollowness. In one  of his articles he stated "In the last few weeks the word or term industrialization has become synonymous with our politicking in the South Senatorial Zone". "Open rallies and town-hall meetings personally sponsored by Governor Ayade himself, without truly taking stock to examine what Ayade has achieved in the state as Governor over the last 3yrs, except businesses leaving town in droves due to multiple and over taxation in addition to an uncondusive business environment".


It is only a blind person or one who is besieged by senility that would suggest that there is nothing so show for Governor Ayade's first term in office even as the governor is poised to clinch a second term. There is no doubt that the voices of oppositions and criticisms making futile efforts to drown the achievements of Governor Ayade are being orchestrated by forces determined to stunt the growth of Cross River State.


Cross Riverians would be grossly unfair to Governor Ayade if they claim that he has not touched the their lives in many ways than one. One area where Prof. Ayade distinguished himself is the regular payment of salaries to the state's civil servants. While most of the states were threw their workforce into an agonising spell of non payment of salaries, Governor Ayade built a reputation of paying Cross River workers before the end of every month. He was also among the very few in the class of state governors who were not owing their civil servants.


The digital governor of Cross River State cannot also not be accused of sectionalism when it comes to appointment of public servants in the state. The southern senatorial zone can boast of commissioners,special advisers,several board appointments and special assistants who have contributed in no small measure to the remarkable achievements recorded by the Prof. Senator Ayade led administration.



A close look at some of the projects embarked upon by Prof. Ayade would

reveal that of all the senatorial zones, the south has gotten a large chunk.

A roll call of these projects would easily qualify Prof. Ayade for accolades and trophies from citizens of the Southern senatorial zone rather than criticisms and vituperations.


 Among the projects located in the southern senatorial zone include the Bakassi Deep Seaport, the Garment Factory, the Rice City, the Calabar Pharmaceutical Factory and the Banana Processing Factory. Others are the Power Plant, for the first time the Calabar-Odupani junction Road is undergoing dualization and the Bakassi IDPs are on a daily Jubilation as the 5000 Housing unit Estate work is ongoing.

 The Governor has also ordered power from 21 megawatts to feed the industrial park, Calabar metropolis and calabar south. The hospital that calabar south could not provide  was now moved to Akpabuyo, still in the southern senatorial district of the state. The 21megawatts to be dedicated to industrial park and calabar south. There is the roads in calabar south that would start after airport road. Calas Vegas is located in calabar south and finally, the southern senatorial district have several  commissioners plus large appointments, and deputy governor and  speaker.


Cross River State, under the leadership of Prof Ayade can be said to be enjoying a reign of peace and security of lives and property, especially when compared to many states in the country. This is a direct outcome of the huge investment the governor has made in all the security agencies in the state. Apart from being up and doing, the agencies understand that they cannot afford to the level of security to degenerate given that the state is a tourist state with a huge inflow of foreign investors.

It should also not escape the minds of Cross River citizens that the states collects the least by way of Federal allocations and internally generated revenue. This speaks volume of the prudence and discretion of the governor.