Bakassi Resettlement: Imoke Lauds Vice President
Joseph Kingston, Calabar

Governor Liyel Imoke of Cross River State has lauded the efforts of the Vice President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan in adopting a more pragmatic approach to ensure a peaceful and full implementation of the resettlement process of the displaced people of Bakassi despite its challenges.

Imoke made his feelings known when he received a delegation of the Presidential Committee on Security in Bakassi led by Mrs. Moremi Onijala, on a courtesy visit, Thursday, adding that the gesture is the demonstration of goodwill and commitment to the state in ensuring that the people are fully resettled and integrated with their Kinsmen.

He noted with delight the effort of the various agencies that have worked assiduously in collaboration with the state's agency since the commencement of the withdrawal process in August 2008 which had been done successfully, maintaining that the state has remained peaceful, patriotic and loyal to the higher authority to fully implement the Green Tree Agreement reached by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and will continue to remain useful partner.

The Governor, however, decried the painful loss of some oil wells belonging to the State to another state and the delisting of the State from the league of oil producing states occasioned by the ceding of Bakassi. He maintained that it was ironic that the visiting team went through the sea to visit settlements which were obviously part of Cross River State and indeed Nigeria, yet Cross River State was said to be land locked, not minding the security implications to the nation.

He also decried the burden of taking care of the displaced people and expressed the hope that the committee would look into the issue with a view of finding lasting solutions to the matters. He called on the Federal government to take maximum advantage of the five years joint administration of the Peninsula as provided for in the Green Tree Agreement by ensuring the protection of lives and property of Nigerians who are still living there against unpleasant circumstances constantly unleashed on them by Cameroonian gendarmes..

"I like the concept of a bilateral agreement, which allows us to accommodate what ever was left out in the Green Tree Agreement" he concluded and urged the federal government to beef up security on the waterways to check the activities of sea pirates and armed bandits. While commending the effort of President Paul Biya of the Republic of Cameroon to resolve the issues of harassment and molestation of Nigerians in the peninsula, Imoke assured that the cordial relationship that exists between the state and indeed the country and Cameroon which shares some affinities over the years, will be maintained.

Governor Imoke pointed out that the greatest task now is how to finally settle the displaced and returnees to a likely natural abode best for those in the riverine not land locked area, which makes no meaning to the people who are predominantly fisher men, adding that "resettlement can only complete when those we settled can be settled where they c an continue to live and earn a living".

He assured the committee of his total commitment in ensuring that it collaborates with it to fashion the most appropriate approach in handling the final withdrawal of Nigerians from the area and promised to tackle the issue of education and health care service delivery in the camp as raised by the committee.

Earlier, the leader of the Presidential Committee on Security in Bakassi, Mrs. Onijala, said their mission as directed by the Vice President was to ascertain the reason behind the recent massive return of Nigerians, harassment by Cameroonian gendarmes as well as incidents of killings reported from the area.

She maintained that the other assignment was to enquire about the needs of the displaced persons, find out in totality, number of those who have returned and those still willing to remain in the area and make appropriate recommendation to the presidency in a very holistic report for proper action.

Also speaking, the Security Chief of the Delegation, Major General Joseph Okunbor, attributed the current harassment of Nigerians to lack of military presence in the area and urged the State government to ensure that military personnel are fully mobilized to return to the troubled areas of Bakassi as it has been done in Bayelsa State where the state's jurisdiction covers.

Fake Soldiers Arrested In Calabar

A24 year old Daniel Gabriel, accused of unlawful possession and use of Army uniform, has been arrested in Calabar, and is now in custody of the Military Police. In a press release signed by the army Police Relation's Officer, Captain J.A. Afolasade, and made available to newsmen, Mr. Gabriel was said to have been arrested along Barracks Road on a motorbike.

In a confessional statement, the suspect claimed to be a member of the Peace Corps, deployed to the house of the State Secretary of the PDP, but army sources faulted his assertion. The army Spokesman said he will be handed over to the state Police Command for further investigation as soon as preliminary investigation is completed by the Brigade.

Captain Afolabade explained further that the arrest has confirmed rumors that 'Military' personnel in Army uniform were using their motorbikes for commercial purposes, as against the states Government ban on Commercial Motorcycles.. He therefore appeal to members of the public to report such cases to the appropriate authorities for necessary actions, explaining that greater percentage of perpetrators of such acts are fake soldiers who are bent on dragging the name of the Military to the mud.

Cross River Projects 14 Billion from Donors

The Cross River State Government says it has put a machinery in motion to ensure it draws at least N14 billion from international donor agencies this year to meet its lofty dreams and aspiration as envisaged in the 2010 appropriation.

Special Adviser to Governor Liyel Imoke on International Donor Support, Mr. Roy Ndoma Egba, who announced this during a media interaction with newsmen in Calabar Wednesday, said that the only way government can guarantee full implementation of its budget in addition to internally generated revenue is to fashion out ways of attracting donors who will believe and love to share in their programme and key-in to support it.

He disclosed that the department through the initiative attracted over N5 billion to the state's coffers to facilitate some of its programmes in 2009 and raised the hope that with a well thought out action plan, it will attract a bucket of funds before the end of first quarter against all odds, adding that it is well positioned to take up the challenge.

Mr. Ndoma Egba, who decried some constraints government faces occasioned by failed Farouk Abdul Mutallab terrorist attempt which has stalled a lot of efforts and delay programme implementation as a breach of trust, added that the state will do everything possible to persuade donors and build their confidence in investing in the state.

"You can't get resources from people who don't trust your system, that is the implication of that act but I can assure you that Cross River shall be in Nigeria but will not share in the Nigeria's trouble but remain the prefect destination for investment and leisure" he concluded. On the European Union's and other donors programmes built for 2010, the Special Adviser disclosed all were 100 percent implemented except the water project which the Federal government is yet to meet its counterpart funding obligation, adding that once the money is released, the project will be pursued and completed accordingly.

He called on other MDAs to rally round the office with the view to attract the desired resources to drive the state to its destination by ensuring that they overcome bureaucratic bottle neck which has continued to be a major challenge in reaching out to partners in line with the aspiration of the state government.

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