Efio-Ita Nyok|7 March 2016|4:35am
It is no more news that the Executive Governor of Cross River State, Sen. Prof. Ben Ayade, had on Monday 8 February 2016 made no lesser than 74 appointments into various government departments, boards, agencies, councils, etc. On 3 March he made another. However, this article beams its search light on the former appointments of 8 February, barely a month ago.
Of these appointments, one out of the 7 boards, agencies, or councils, is christened, Strategic Policy Advisory Council and its membership are as follows:
1. Dr. Pius Tawo -Chair
2. Dr. Takim Caitas -Secretary
3. Dr. Francis Ayade -Member
4. Efiok Cobham -Member
5. Ikani Woga -Member
6. Elder Bassey Ekpenyong Eyo -Member
*7. Professor Temple
I guess the 7th name 'Professor Temple' is referring to Dr. Osam Edim, the professor of Philosophy who was a former academic in the University of Calabar. One other interesting name in this list is the Dr. Francis Ayade who is a brother to Gov. Ben Ayade. That is to say, by this appointment, Ayade has finally sealed the overriding influence of his younger brother having now made him an office holder in his administration. Whether this is reminiscent of nepotism is an argument for another day. We also have the former Deputy Governor in the Liyel Imoke government. The chair, Tawo, is a former gubernatorial candidate who contested side by side with Donald Duke. Again, the membership of the council appears to cut across the three senatorial district with Cobham and Eyo from the southern senatorial district, Ayade and Secretary Caitas from the northern senatorial district, and Temple and Woga from central senatorial district. Also, Ayade is only a member neither the chair nor secretary; however, it should be noted that Dr. Francis Ayade is unofficially the chair and therefore the defacto governor of Cross River taking a look at the trend of his activities in power hitherto.
This 7-member council appears to be the apex decision making body in Ayade's Executive Council, and by implication the entire government in that they will be responsible for defining the policy approach of His Excellency, the governor. Note that as usual, John Gaul's CRSHA and even the judiciary will be grossly affected. I wish to believe that they had already been working in this council long before their recent appointment. At least, the appellation, 'defacto governor' premised on Dr. Francis Ayade by foremost critics of the present government is a case in point. So, if you like, Ayade's Strategic Policy Advisory Council could be referred to as his 'inner caucus'. If they don't append their signatures on any policy of government or any institution of government, it will not see the lime light of day. These seven may be mini governors in their regards.
Despite the negative slur already blighted on this council I wish to say that this executive institution has an uphill task ahead on it; namely, that of policy definition. If you agree with the present author, the almost nine months administration of Governor Ben Ayade has the challenge of policy articulation. It has been grossly criticised for this failing and has proven to be as very insensitive as possible to this criticism. The governor, Sen. Prof. Ben Ayade has the reputation for churning out as many policy statement as possible per second billing in a given public function. He is fond of always making promises. In fact, the present author was compelled to refer to Ayade as 'the promise-and-fail governor'. In fact, a renowned poet in the state had no option but to refer to this promise-and-fail trend as 'squirky taunt'.
How we pray things should have begin to turn around policy wise courtesy of this 'Council'.
Efio-Ita Nyok
Is a Blogger & the Editor of Negroid Haven
