Amb. Asegem scores Ayade high, confident about Prince Otu’s incoming leadership

Yala-born businessman and politician, Amb. Emmanuel Asegem, has described Prof. Ben Ayade’s eight years as governor as “the best administration Cross River State has had since the emergence of democracy in 1999.

The towering grassroots politician, who gave the assessment while speaking to newsmen recently in Calabar, said Governor Ayade’s prescient innovations have achieved lofty strides in Cross River State, whose rippling effect would outlive the present administration.

Highlighting some of the stuff that pits Ayade above others, Asegem stated that the unprecedented progress made in critical sectors such as Agro-industrialization, investment in quality education, infrastructure, expansion of government to accommodate women and youths in top leadership positions, among many others, have all contributed to the upward economic trajectory of the State.

“Governor Ayade took over 75 percent of youths out of the streets, empowered and entrusted them with leadership roles. Today, most of those youths are better for it. He gave the Ukelle people, particularly Ijiraga Community indigenes, a stake in the scheme of things. In my ward, I am impressed with the development of youths. The governor’s effort and our little contributions have yielded results. These have all altered the dynamics of leadership in the communities, Local Goverment Areas and the State at large,” he remarked.

When quizzed on his expectations for the incoming Prince Bassey Otu government, Asegem, who is also the Chairman, Anti-Deforestation, North in the Ayade-led administration, expressed confidence in the personage and pedigree of the incoming governor, describing him as “the best for the State.”

The illustrious son of Ijiraga also solemnly pledged to support the Otu-led leadership and the that of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the State.

He however, appealed to the coming Goverment to be circumspect about selection of people to man political positions in the State, insisting that “round pecks be put in round holes.”

In his words: “Elections have come and gone. The records are there; there speak for themselves. Prince Otu must carefully choose his appointees. He should thoroughly research on those he wants to appoint. Capacity and merit must be prioritized.”

The entrepreneur also took the opportunity to advise youths to think out of the box and stop relying on politicians and political appointments, but rather veer into agribusiness, small and medium scale enterprises and other profitable ventures that can enhance their economic growth.

Some of the youth empowerment and community development of Emmanuel Asegem are: provision of a 500kva transformer to ease the perennial power situation in Ijiraga Community; restoration of boreholes system in Ijiraga Community; remediation of over 9km roads cutting across Ebo, Ijiraga I and I to Mfuma; empowerment of youths of Yala I with motorbikes, and Ogoja youths by extension; educational support to over 10 indigenous students, whom are now graduates/graduating from various institutions of higher learning, medical outreach for Ogoja/ Yala Federal constituency, Iequippement of library at Government technical college ijiraga among many others.