...Says Governor's equitable devt. strides visible despite lean resources
Special Adviser to the Governor on Political Matters (Central), Obol Nnana Etowa Arikpo, has faulted insinuations that Governor Prince Bassey Edet Otu has neglected Cross River Central Senatorial District in terms of infrastructural development.
Arikpo, who was reacting to a recent public call urging the Governor to "focus on Cross River Central," said while the concerns raised about the deplorable condition of roads in the district are legitimate, it is inaccurate and unfair to conclude that the administration has done "nothing" for the people of Central.
According to him, governance must be assessed within the realities of available resources and the daunting challenges inherited by the present administration.
"Cross River is not a state with abundant internally generated revenue or unlimited federal resources. It is a state that has had to manage serious financial constraints while simultaneously addressing years of accumulated infrastructure, salary, pension and institutional challenges. Despite these limitations, the Otu administration has not stood still," he stated.
The Special Adviser noted that in the health sector alone, the administration raised budgetary allocation from about six per cent to 10 per cent, employed over 2,500 health workers, restored full CONMESS for doctors, recruited additional doctors and embarked on the renovation and upgrading of Primary Healthcare Centres across the state - investments that benefit all Cross Riverians irrespective of senatorial district.
He added that in education, government has sustained interventions in the sector, resulting in a significant improvement in SSCE performance from 65.2 per cent to over 78 per cent, while also tackling illegal schools and strengthening standards.
Arikpo further disclosed that the administration restored about 3,000 Local Government workers who had been removed from the payroll, a decision he said directly impacts families and communities across the state, in addition to interventions in transportation costs and pursuit of projects capable of expanding the state's economic base.
He stressed that Governor Otu is investing in projects that would change the economic fortunes of the state rather than merely chasing political headlines, citing the Calabar International Convention Centre/Tinapa axis, revival of dormant state assets, Calabar airport project, proposed deep seaport, agricultural infrastructure and other public-private partnerships.
On the demand for immediate mobilisation of contractors to roads in Central, Arikpo said road construction goes beyond dry season sentiments.
"Good roads require engineering assessments, designs, procurement, funding, right-of-way considerations, drainage works and sustained financing. A government cannot responsibly award every road mentioned in a social-media appeal merely because the rains have stopped," he explained.
He maintained that Cross River Central is not an isolated constituency that should only receive attention when elections approach, noting that the Governor remains constitutionally responsible to all three senatorial districts and should be judged by equitable distribution of resources.
"It is misleading to reduce the relationship between Governor Otu and Cross River Central to the number of bulldozers seen on particular roads before the next election," he said.
Arikpo affirmed that the People First philosophy of the administration should translate into visible projects in Central, North and South, describing the expectation as legitimate, but cautioned against rewriting the record of what has already been achieved.
"Governor Otu may not have solved every problem in Cross River, and no honest assessment should claim that he has. But saying his administration has done 'nothing' or has forgotten Central is simply not supported by the records," he said.
He urged that criticism, though necessary in a democracy, should acknowledge progress, adding that concerns about roads such as Assiga-Ekori, Ekori-Mkpani-Bamia, Mkom-Echumofana and others should be taken seriously.
"The appropriate demand is not that Governor Otu should suddenly focus exclusively on Central because an election is approaching. The demand should be that the administration continues its equitable development programme, prioritises the most critical roads according to available resources and ensures that Central receives its fair share," Arikpo stated.
He added that the call should be for more delivery, not denial of what has already been delivered, stressing that Cross River needs development, not political amnesia.
By Nakanda Iyadim
