Cross River: Governor Otu pleads with youths to shun planned protest

The Governor of Cross River State, Senator (Prince) Bassey Edet Otu, has advised against the proposed nationwide protest billed to commence on August 1, 2024, while calling for calm and a rethink by the youths in a broadcast to Cross Riverians.

The Governor, while pleading with the youth and people of the state, outlined the manifold achievements of his administration so far and vowed that he would continue to make conscious efforts to ameliorate the living standard of Cross Riverians amidst the current economic challenges.

“Unfortunately, this administration came in when the recession was rising sporadically to its peak demanding very extreme measures to counter its fangs. As expected, the change of baton and massive expectations from the electorate raised the stakes even higher. Media induced anxiety spiked. Political intolerance escalated. Increase in Consumer price index became alarming and liquidity shortages appear to be the killer.

“As it were, we cannot pretend to be unaware of our perilous national trajectory flowing from the surging insurgency through the global recession that took its national toll before the COVID ravage and the Russian/Ukraine, Israeli/Palestinian wars among others. The above upheavals sent inflation galloping around the world, Nigeria and our state inclusive.

“Fortunately, my leadership has risen to the challenge with expressed acts of responsibility, kindness and compassion with diverse comforting social supports and interventions, some of which have immediate succour while others promise medium and long term results which require patience and understanding to tap into the harvests.

“In specific terms, my administration has extensively renewed road, health and educational infrastructures in order to make life easier and boost the wellbeing of every Cross Riverian. I have relieved our parents of the burden of WAEC fees so that no child’s education is stalled. Recently I have committed 10 billion naira to drive the thorny issue of pensions and gratuities which seriously embarrassed our aged parents since 2013. Very soon our fathers and mothers who served the state will smile and that ugly trend of owing them will be stopped. I will also want to add the massive social interventions rendered by my Wife who has through her pet programme: Humanity beyond Borders changed the dynamics in health, womanhood and childcare. Our explorations in oil and gas, local contents, climate change, ICT, agriculture and the blue economy are massive.

“Compatriots, in the light of the above, my appeal is for all of us to reassess our roles in the circumstance and exercise logical restraint in our words and actions. Peaceful protests are constitutional channels of ventilating citizens right to expression. But historical hindsights are also instructive with the tell-tales of endsars still dripping, shouldn’t we rather express the solemnity of patriotic goodwill in this ebbing moment of our history by lifting our feet from the mire of anger and despair and placing them on the solid rock of the reality of recovery driven by sacrifices on the altar of time,” Governor Otu advised in his state broadcast.

He said: “Going down memorable lane, history highlights horrendous phases of human existence even in the midst of most prosperous civilizations.

“Recounting from the global credit crisis of 1772, through the Great Depression of 1929 to the current meltdown in Sri Lanka that started in 2019,the world cannot be said to be hundred percent free from economic difficulties and adversities. Before the Covid 19 economic stagflation, there have been financial deflations and inflations in the OPEC related economies (1973), Asian territories (1977), Spain(1977), Norway (1987), Finland/Sweden(1991), Japan(1992). The global crisis of 2008 and many more can also be cited.”

Warning against any act of lawlessness and violence in the state, the governor added: “Having said that much, it remains to be added as a strict cautionary verse that no patriotic Cross Riverian in or outside government will want to witness the carnage carried out on our state during the endsars protest.

“The chain negative end outcomes will then spell out in hunger, anger, leadership distrust, hard times, reductions in income, tilted distribution of wealth and economic downturn.

“What has protest got to do with the Tinapa 200 rooms hotel still lying desolate? How does protest connect with wrecking of the international conference centre; the wiping off of a generation of history and fittings at Chronicle and the destruction of private properties built via painful sweats and labour. Somebody needs to be convinced how a civil protest would want to bring down the garment factory feeding over a hundred households, not to mention entire haulage systems decimated, all in the name of protest. As these images keep replaying in the minds of indigenous Cross Riverians whose common patrimony is still being diverted to fix the avoidable damage, a holy anger erupts in our minds and compel us to vow that we will not go to sleep and allow a repeat of such unconnected acts.

“For the benefit of the doubt, any person or group who will want to test the resolve of the government and people of Cross River State should be prepared to be an ugly guest at the Afokang correctional centre without trial. Enough should be enough of dragging our peace loving nature into trials. Yes we are peace loving, decent and hospitable but henceforth naysayers to our true nature will have a nasty experience in return. A word is enough for the wise. Let any conceived protest go through due process and within the prism of the law enforcement before, during and after. Let parents instruct their children in line with the ways and customs of our state. Let the world understand that Cross River State is a haven of peace and not a hell of hatred.”