Efio-Ita Nyok|7 March 2016|4:45am
The incumbent Special Assistant -Youth Mobilisation & Students Affairs, to the Executive Governor of Cross River State, the Ogoja-born Prince Michael Nku Abuo, is presently embroiled in a petty money scandal.
On February 25, 2016 Prince Abuo made a press release notifying 200 level students of Cross River State origin of the ongoing Chevron Nigeria Limited JV scholarship opportunity on his Facebook timeline and on the state broadcasting corporation, Cross River Broadcasting Corporation (CRBC) concerning the said scholarship opportunity.
In the said press release the SA informed that, 'Interested students in Cross River State should contact Mr Egbello on +2348038059989
and or visit the office of the Special Assistant to the Governor on Student Affairs and Youth Mobilization, Governor's Office, Calabar for details.
Deadline for this application is on the 9th of March,2016. Visit www.http://scholastica.ng/schemes/cnlawards'.
It has been observed that when 'interested students in Cross River State' approached the SA either via his office or through Mr. Egbello, they were asked to pay a sum of one thousand Naira (N1, 000.00), that is, if his office must process the online registration for them.
On approaching the Special Assistant I inquired, 'I learnt that you are collecting N1, 000 from Cross Riverians for reasons not known but related to the Chevron scholarship. Is it true?' He responded by laughing out loud saying: 'Not true…But my aides are filling the form for those interested to at the said rate'. He further revealed that, 'There's a printed form shared of more than 5 pages and feedback given…but it's totally optional if you want it done for you…if you want it done for you that's the filling of the form my aide does it at his fee'.
Firstly, the SA has made a contradictory statement: it is 'not true' and 'my aides are filling the form for those interested to at the said rate'. A public officer's aide does anything on behalf of his/her principal especially official matters of the kind we are investigating. In other words, it goes to say that the Special Assistant -Youth Mobilisation and Students Affairs, to the Governor of Cross River State is collecting the sum of N1000 for educational scholarship purposes. Secondly, the idea of charging a fee from Cross Riverians from an office that obviously benefits from tax payers' money has not gone down well with a cross section of indigenes of the state. This was why this news retail outfit was contacted.
It has been suggested that the Office of Special Assistant on Youth Mobilisation and Students Affairs was supposed to offer the service free of charge. For instance, he would have offered free internet services in his office for Cross Riverians to process their registration.
Be that as it may, I will not all together blame the Special Assistant especially considering the fact that he, like all other aides or appointees of the government, have not been paid for eight months on end. Besides, this present state administration is reputed for such scandals. If you recall, the forms for the screening exercise into the Green Police done last year was not given out without a fee. Besides, the Cross River State Civil Service employment forms are sold for N1500. This is unconscionable!
Public office holders must operate with integrity, transparency and accountability. They must strive to live above board. I am particularly calling on the Sen. Prof. Ben Ayade, the Executive Governor of Cross River State to put an end to petty money scandals of this nature. He should pay his aides and appointees. And his aides and appointees should desist from devising means of extorting money from unsuspecting Cross Riverians no matter what for the sake of integrity. A good name, they say, is better than wealth especially ill-gotten wealth.
Efio-Ita Nyok
Is a Blogger & the Editor of Negroid Haven
