Cross River State Governor, Professor Ben Ayabe has regretted that for long, corruption had frustrated the progress of Nigeria and that it needs to be fought with all the strength at the nation’s disposal.
The Governor, who is ruling on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) insisted that President Muhammadu Buhari is on the right course to get rid of corruption in Nigeria.
Ayade, who spoke to news men shortly after meeting Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja today said: “It is only obvious that any serious government must take the issue of corruption seriously and I think that is why today Nigeria is beginning to have national and international image that looks like Nigeria is getting prepared for business.
“That is why investments are flowing into Cross River State. That is a sign that the anti-corruption war is actually working and it is giving Nigeria the international image that we need.”
The governor described the anti-corruption war as perfect, saying: “those who know the pains, hardship and frustrations that Nigerians have passed through will agree with me on this.”
The governor said that the issue of the Bakassi Deep Sea Port was part of the issue he discussed with the President, adding that construction work would start in full once the Environmental Impact Assessment is concluded.
“The project is real and that is part of what I discussed with Mr. President and the President has given his commitment that he will support the deep sea port and the evacuation corridor, which is the 260km super highway.
“The President did give an advice and warning that as far as he had come to give support to this programme, I must come to give him quarterly progress report on this project.”
Ayade said he also discussed the state’s rice production project for which a special agriculture credit facility of N4.8 billion has already been requested.
He said that the total investment outlay of the project is N10 billion, excluding a foreign element, which is a function of what the foreign partners are bringing.
On Tinapa, Ayade said the state would on February 14, commission a monorail to mark Valentine’s Day, adding that rail is the first of its kind in West Africa. [myad]
