Governor Ayade’s Unmatched Results in Governance
To many people far and near, the distinctive approach to governance by Prof. Benedict Bengiousheye Ayade, the Executive Governor of Cross River State, fondly called “Digital Governor”, is a mark of excellence that deserves many accolades.
From his strides to position Cross River State on the paths of economic growth to the infrastructural development and agricultural revolution, each time a new year breaks, Nigerians look with keen interest to his mind boggling budget which is producing results.
It is not just the creativity, nomenclature and amount contain in the state fiscal budgets that strike uniqueness but the unusual ways it is producing results. From the 2018 budget of “Kinetic Crystallization” to 2019 budget of “Qabalistic Densification” and the 2020 budget of “Olimpotic Meristemasis” Ayade’s choice of language for his yearly budget seems to give intrusive confidence that has transformed ideas into unmatched results.
Unbelievable to many, Governor Ayade shocked everyone when he dares to actualize his dream of the construction of the 276 kilometers six-lane Super Highway and Baskassi Deep Seaport. This lofty project is in tandem with federal government policies of sustainable economic growth and development.
Irrespective of political and tribal affiliation, Governor Ayade’s developmental focus span the length and breadth of Nigeria. For instance, the ongoing Super Highway Project will link the north and south in effort to facilitate exportation of produce in Nigeria goods.
“By the construction of the Bakassi Deep Seaport with an evacuation corridor, the super highway will help our brothers from northern Nigeria to have an agricultural exports programme and be able to export their produce. Against that background also, it will enable them to export their solid mineral wealth”. Ayade said this while receiving the 2019 Leadership Award as Governor of the year.
As part of his industrialization drive for sustainable development, Governor Ayade has built a Garment Factory in Calabar the State capital which will employ over three thousand youths and windows. Similarly, he has constructed a toothpick factory in Ekori, Yakurr Local Government of the State which has created jobs for the people of the area. He has also embarked on the construction of Calapharm, a pharmceutical company that has drawn the attention of investors and will be responsible for the manufacturing and production of drugs and cosmetics, waiting to generate huge revenue for the state and employ significant number of teeming unemployed youths.
In the area of Agriculture, Ayade understand the dynamics of Nigeria’s economy, the need to diversify and the potentials in agricultural sector to create jobs and ensuring food security. He recently said “we are tired of chasing petro-dollars. Our target now is agric-dollars; we want to produce Agricpreneures businessmen”
To match his words with actions, Governor Ayade has constructed an ultra-modern rice factory in Calabar which is projected to generate N70 billion (naira) yearly. He also established Ogoja Rice Mill which was installed with automated vitaminised equipment and capacity to create a large number of jobs.
The Governor has built Calachika Chicken Processing Plant for birds feed and to process large number of frozen chicken daily for consumption and exportation. Also, he built Cocoa Processing Plant in Ikom with the capacity to produce 50,000 tons and the construction of rice seeds and seedlings factory in Calabar for the production of improved varieties for farmers in the State.
In the power sector, Ayade has constructed Calabar 23 Megawatts Power Plant which is now giving light to the people of Calabar and neighboring towns. There is also an ongoing construction of 26 Megawatts Gas Fired Power Plant in Tinapa.
Governor Ayade’s development strides and his paths to transform Cross River State into the envy of many States in Nigeria are as the shining light that shines more and more even as he is producing unmatched results.
