Cross Riverians speak out on their expectations of government in 2024
As 2024 begins amid celebrations in Cross River, hopes are high among residents of their expectation of government to roll-out policies that would impact their lives positively.
On Monday, some prominent citizens in the state reeled out their expectations of Bassey Otu’s administration in the state in 2024. Individuals and groups are eagerly waiting for the fulfillment of the people first and season of sweetness mantra of the state governor.
The media carried out a Vox pop to feel the pulse of the people regarding their expectations of government in 2024. The Chairman of Southern British High School, Calabar, Mr. Akin Fakorede Esq, said his expectation of government for 2024 is to see higher enrolment of children in schools across the eighteen Local Government Areas of the state.
He opined that government should improve on infrastructural development in public schools in partnership with National Parent Teachers Association of Nigeria (NAPTAN) to rob off on primary and secondary schools owned by government.
He suggested that government should establish modem public schools in each of the Local Government areas, while the welfare of teachers and non-teaching staff in public schools should be looked into, insisting on recruitment of more teachers to meet the required manpower needs particularly in the sciences where pupils and students are deficient.
Speaking on his expectations for 2024, the project coordinator of the state Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP), Chief Henry Igelle Onwe promised to key into Governor Bassey Otu’s aggressive single largest agricultural productivity reform with the launch of the transparent and digitally managed 30 billion commercial agric development fund called “Project Grow” meant to attract investment to the subsector and the home stead farming project to stem food insecurity and high cost of food.
Also, Simon Igbang said that Cross River State should without further delay, create more local council development areas to address the urgent need to take development to the remote and inaccessible communities arguing that it is possible to do this within the legal framework provided by the 1999 constitution (as amended) saying already many states in the federation have taken this route.
A former Chairman of Biase Local Government Area, Chief (Hon.) Edwin Usang expressed the hope that in 2024, government would be pro-people, understand what the people want while the people should be patient to review the direction of government.
According to him, as the local government election approaches, only those who have something to offer should be given opportunity to emerge and to contest and not hand-picking greedy politicians who are out to impoverish the people at the grass-roots. He said the present administration led by Senator Bassey Otu is in the right direction with his “People First” mantra.
Otu, he said inherited much responsibility with great expectations from Cross Riverians and optimistic that with the wealth of experience of the governor, Cross River State will enjoy much sweetness in year 2024.
By: Archibong Emmanuel
(Snr. Reporter)
