WHAT’S REALLY GOING ON?

Paul A. Obi urges the Bassey Otu administration to be more adventurous in policies and projects 

A feeble execution is but another phrase for a bad execution; and a government ill executed, whatever may be its theory, must, in practice, be a bad government…

Joseph Story

Associate Justice of US Supreme Court (1812 – 1845)

Since 2015, Cross River State has seen and witnessed the most odious form of governance – for eight years, the state was shipped to the shores of degradation. The state government between 2015 and 2023 suddenly became a menu in the fun and pun feast of comedy. Comedians also had and held a feast day about the deplorable and detestable form of governance that was reduced to kindergarten levels. Under the last regime, our annual state budgets became a laughing stock with Greco-Roman titles that were only aimed at burying the facts and reality. Infrastructural development took a back seat. In its stead, phantom projects that were never completed dotted the state’s landscape. For eight damned years, Cross River lost her history of sane governance and the tracks of sustainable economic growth. Its exciting tourism ecosystem took a backseat. In those years of locust, the state was lost in all fronts of human development index (HDI). Within those eight years, tragicomic incompetence did reign supreme. Like most things Nigeria, impunity became part of the game: and those who regrettably ruined Cross River for those eight years are still working as free. Gov. Bassey Otu, inconceivably, has blatantly refused to move a muscle – by not holding them to account.

So, the basis of the 2023 gubernatorial election, in which Otu won and he’s now the incumbent chief executive of the state for more than one year running was hinged on retaking our dear state back to normalcy. Primarily, the gubernatorial race was geared towards taking Cross River back from the doldrums of quabalistic densification to where sane governance takes preeminence. Taking stock after one year, it will be foolhardy to deny that nothing has changed for the better in Cross River since 2015 and 2023. At least, the image of the state and the once cherished benchmarks – clean streets, people-oriented policies, and environment that defined the state as a bastion of hope for Nigeria are all back and alive. Still on image, consider the governor’s intervention in the burial of the later former Senate Present, Dr Joseph Wayas – that deserves a big applause. What makes Cross River the people’s paradise is now being put in the scheme of governance. On the front pages of national newspapers and television screens, headlines from Cross River are no longer the theatre of the absurd.

Rather, we are now seeing some strategic moves resetting the economy, reorganizing the state as a tourism destination and enabling Calabar Metropolis return back to its original stead and purpose – of good life. For instance, at the Cross River State Governor’s Roundtable with the business community, where the business, diplomatic, economic class and investors met with Gov. Otu at the Transcorp Hilton, Abuja, it was glad to see Cross River returned to the limelight and glow of business. We can therefore conclude that at the periphery, Cross River is back. But to what extent, and what’s really going on in the state? These are the salient questions on the lips of many Cross Riverians. Taking cognizance of his pedigree, Gov. Otu has attempted to stay on line and focus on the task at hand, given the economic challenges in the country since May 2023.

Despite these daunting tasks at hand, a drumbeat of doubt appears to be swinging around Cross River, Abuja, Lagos and other locations about the sincerity of purpose of Cross River State Governor, Sen. Bassey Otu. Many are now asking the governor and his team in Calabar, what’s really going on? In reality, not much has been made public about the governor’s agenda on development of the state. To some, Otu’s a genda for the state has not been adventurous enough to warrant even a cri

tical introspection. In neighbouring states like Akwa Ibom, Abia, Ebonyi and even nearby Enugu, governors are showcasing their critical pet projects; in Cross River, not much is new. In Akwa Ibom, there are efforts to uplift the state to first class in infrastructure; Abia is turning Aba and Umuahia to modern metropolis; Ebonyi is fighting poverty headlong, and in Enugu pupils and students are now learning from digital black boards through the digitalization of schools in the state. The question then is, where is Cross River in all of these positive shifts? What and where is Gov. Otu’s signature project?

On road infrastructure, so much attention has been concentrated on Calabar metropolis to the neglect of other parts of the state. It was only recently that the Governor, represented by the Deputy Governor, Peter Odey did the groundbreaking of the Ukelle Road in Yala Local Government Area. Still, the abandoned Boki East – West – Mission Road among other roads outside Calabar have not received any attention from the state government, to the consternation of those who had expected the governor to govern for all. We have also not seen the revamp of schools across the state that the last administration left to rot. The state also lags behind in the educational sector. Look at the State Library in Calabar, just a few kilometers from the Governor’s Office, it’s an eyesore. How about other libraries in Ikom and Ogoja? What innovation is Otu bringing to bear in Cross River University of Technology?

Another area Cross Riverians have not seen clear-cut directions from the state government besides setting up committees is the economy of the state. This is an area most governments in the past failed woefully as well. For example, as the second highest producer of Cocoa after Ondo State, and the hike in the global market, Cross River and her citizens are supposed to be reaping the benefits bountifully.

The state, besides those predatory committees, have not been able to set up an economic framework to enable citizens and the state to profit tremendously. Outsiders in the form of middlemen are still ripping off the state and her people. How about Palm oil? What is the economic agenda of the state? On deforestation, in connivance with state officials, Chinese are invading our forest and green ecosystem, cutting down trees – destroying our cherished green economy. In all of these, the state government has done nothing; but only to set up phony committees whose members are also part of the gangs ravaging Cross River’s forest belt. 

On appointment, this is one grey area that many Cross Riverians have frowned at. Here, list after list, several appointments by Gov. Otu portray the government as not being inclusive.

To many, the lopsidedness of the appointments where only Efik and Odukpani names are dominant situates the government as being clannish. No one, including this writer would have thought Otu will ever get such derogative label. With such appointments, Cross River now looks more like Efik-Odukpani State. Last week appointments which were signed by the Governor’s Press Secretary, Nsa Gill exposed the underbelly of clannishness.

Added to that, how has the state government strengthened the instrumentality of public accountability? Where are our state house of assembly members in all of these? Has there been any update on the several federal interventions to Cross River and other state governments to cushion the effects of economic downturn and hardship? More painful, as the only All Progressives Congress (APC) state in the South South, Cross River under Gov. Otu’s leadership is yet to tap the benefits from federal appointments of citizens from the ruling APC’s government at the centre. These and others are the many ill-fated policies that should never come to define the administration.

Overall, Gov. Otu has his hands full to the brim. His tasks are well cut out. But it all depends on the little pieces of execution of those policies that count and stand out. Like Joseph Story’s quote above stipulated, a shabby and wobble execution of decision-making processes and policies may also dovetail to bad outcomes – and governance. At least, the administration can be more adventurous in policies and projects. How about conceiving a railway or super highway project that will link the North from Gakem to Ikom/Boki to Calabar? How about shading off the creeping toga of clannish politics?  How about modernizing its educational system? What about restructuring its economy and commercializing most of its raw materials and agro-produce? Strategically, for a pathbreaking outcome and future of Otu’s legacies, it lies in sincerity of purpose, openness in governance, inclusiveness, boldness and, reducing the poverty index and provision of free health care services.

Obi is media scholar, lecturer and journalist based in Abuja