Cross River State Governor Ayade Weeps he signs ‘historic’ N1.3trn budget into law "Photos"

Ayade weeps as he signs ‘historic’ N1.3trn budget into law

Ben Ayade

Cross River State Governor Ben Ayade wept profusely yesterday at the State Executive Council Chambers as he signed the “historic” 2018 budget of N1.3 trillion into law.

The governor broke down in tears as the budget was being committed to God in prayers by Special Adviser on Religious Matters Rev. Fr Bob Etta.

While signing the budget tagged, Budget of Kinetic Crystallisation, Ayade said “the state must create a new vista, prospect, horizon and income pattern that will define us by what we are and not what the world sees us to be,” pointing out that, “we must put an end to the civil service status of Cross River and we can only achieve this when we think out of the box.”

Going philosophical, Ayade added: “in the 21st century you don’t look before you leap, you leap before you look. Great men all over the world are being driven by visions and any man who sees with his eyes, his vision would be impaired by mountains, bridges, houses and trees,” adding that, “a great visionary man who sees with his mind and soul is not impaired by any obstruction neither can money be an impediment.

“It is very clear that there will be conflicts between expectations and what we will get, but we will be driven by the we-can-do spirit while decoupling ourselves from the continuous dependence on federal allocation.”

Ayade argued that the state was in “need of a stabilising factor, a budget of this nature to be able to cushion the impact of the internal crisis that do arise, particularly at a time we are setting an agenda for a new prosperity that will change our story.”

According to him, within 35 months, his administration had completed and secured the entire approvals for the superhighway project, completed detailed design of the deep seaport project, achieved the EIA approvals for both the deep seaport and superhighway, commenced the dualisation of the Calabar- Odukpani dual carriageway, as well as commenced massive preconstruction work including land acquisition/clearing and massive dredging at the deep seaport.

Other projects the governor listed to his credit  are the completion of the garment factory and pharmaceutical company with the latter awaiting commissioning, completed Rice City with the commencement of installation works, completion of earthworks on the 148km dual carriageway in the northern senatorial district, the agro industrial park, the rice mill in Ogoja and the cocoa processing plant in Ikom, with the equipment for the plant paid for and awaiting delivery.

House of Assembly Speaker John Gaul Lebo assured that the legislature would perform its oversight functions to ensure that the budget is crystallized for the benefit of democracy in the state.