Joseph Odok|10 February 2016|1:58am
Cross River State economy is in serious crisis and critical steps must be taken to salvage the situation. The governor's steps have further created more problems than solutions.
It is worth stating that the debt profile of the state is growing. The maladministration of Liyel Imoke left Cross River State with a debt profile of more than 413 billion naira. To compound the issues, Ayade has keyed into borrowing to the tune of about 50 billion naira. This is in exclusion of the 7.8 billion naira that was given as Federal Government Special intervention fund.
It is worthy of note that even with the huge sums available to the governor the problem of workers wages still hovers around as issues of unpaid pensions and wages still hangs unattended. The governor though unscrupulously praised for prompt payment of state civil servant has left other critical sectors unattended to.
The issue of non payment of scholarship to our foreign students still looms. The pensioners have been owed for years with many dying and in critical health condition. The past political office holders and legislators are still owed their severance packages and overhead. The present council chairman and councillors are not left out as the government still owes them their allowances. The local government workers are not left out. CRUTECH staff are still owed. CUDA staff are owed.
Yet, one is embarrassed with monies found decorating the governor's office, maybe to create some impression of wealth. Just recently those previously given appointments without employment letters and salaries cried out in frustration. Yet the governor seems more positioned to give more appointments even in the face of elephant projects and financial crunch.
Aware of the reality of economic crunch, the governor seems not ready to block financial leakages. The accountant in various ministries connive with revenue collecting agents to swindle monies that ought to be remitted to the state coffers. No system has been placed to check the leakages in the system.
More worrisome is the fact that the acting accountant general of the state is the governor's family man. This clearly tells the story of a governor ready to swindle our common wealth for family and personal interest.
It should be clearly known that giving appointment is different from creating jobs. Appointments remains economic waste. Could the governor be bold in telling us that he lacks content to employ such a crowd of special assistants and advisers? This calls to question the governor's ability to think and lead us well. Besides why give more appointments when you have obviously failed to meet the financial implications of the ones previously employed?
Could it be that the governor is simply interested in keying into the old PDP practice of sharing our monies. It is really a story of PDP share the money oooooo. Foundations for the growth of Cross River State is structural destroyed by the Ayade's style.
How does the governor intend to fund this many projects? When States are reducing appointment the governor reasons differently.
We must begin to think differently. No wonder the West is going far. There seems to be no magic for their growth. Their growth is simply a product of financial discipline and avoidance of waste. No person gets what is not deserved. I single person may be made to undertake the cleaning of a ministry and is paid according to how efficient he is.
The case in Nigeria is a different story as one could be paid even for not doing anything in the name of appointment. What could have been done by one person in the west could be given to more than 10 persons in Nigeria.
We are getting it wrong and must rise to stop these leakages. A stitch in time saves nine.
Joseph Odok
Is a Social Media Change Agent
Social Critic & Friend of the Oppressed
