Ifere Paul|18 March 2016|4:15pm
The governor of Cross River State, Prof and Senator Ben Ayade has lost control of the Local Government Executive Councils. The governor who has not been consistent with his promises to the local government administration across the State, may be in serious problems just months away to the Local Government elections.
The Local Government leaders from ward councilors, their supervisory councillors and Chairmen and their Chairladies have been complaining bitterly the way the governor treats them in terms of remuneration, imprest, and funds for capital projects. Cross River State local government areas have not embarked on capital development projects in Cross River State since 1999.
In my Local Government Area for example, the last time culverts were constructed was the time Late Barrister Ofem Ekapong was the Chairman of Council. Now, with a decaying primary school management board, bad health administration and management board, and other decays in social infrastructures, people at the receiving end are complaining to the managers of the Local Government Councils.
The management of the Council has been complaining to the the governor who is pretending to be a deaf, dumb, and lame. According to reliable info from some councillors, the governor has not paid any legislative vote to the 18 local government legislature. For over 4 years, the legislative vote has not been paid.
The councillors form Cross River State were to disrupt the activities of the Carnival last December, but Governor Ben Ayade went on bended knees pleading for time. Promising that by January, he will clear all outstanding votes and council wards allocations. It is three months now, and Ayade is still playing deaf and dumb.
The body that oversees the welfare of the councillors, otherwise called "Leaders Forum" is now discussing the next cause of action to take.
One thing this body has been able to pass across is the fact that the Chairmen level of confidence on the governor has dropped. The local government chairmen with their distrust of the present administration, are making concerted efforts to decamp to APC in order to drive their re-elections ambition because their popularity has dropped with the electorate in the PDP due to non performance as a result of Ben Ayade withholding funds.
Governor Ben Ayade who has been out of the country for over 6 weeks is said to be in Mexico for business. Critics are insinuating that the governor may be out of the country undergoing treatment for high blood pressure or other health related issues.
Whether or not the leadership of the local government Leadership Forum will be able to put enough pressure on Governor Ben Ayade to reverse his stand, the electorate are watching. And of course, Ifere Paul will be waiting and watching too.
Ifere Paul
Is an Environmental Activist & Public Policy Analyst
