By Magnus Effiong
An advocacy group, ‘Think Cross River Initiative’ has given insight on why incessant communal clashes and killings, which had bedeviled the State for decades in many local government areas, reduced drastically within the past fifteen months.
The initiator of the ‘Think Cross River Initiative’, Mr Edem Darlington, who made the disclosure in Calabar, Wednesday, explained that positive awareness campaigns on the ills of violence and their aftereffects, embarked upon by advocacy groups like ‘Think Cross River Initiative,’ was causing many Cross Riverians to see the evil of fighting and killing one another.
Mr Darlington, who is also the Deputy Chief Press Secretary (DCPS) to Governor Bassey Otu, said “In Think Cross River Initiative, we strive to bring back the spirit of patriotism to our dear State.
“If you positively think about Cross River, you will not vandalize government property and installations, if you think Cross River, you will not destroy your neighbour’s property, maim and kill. If you think Cross River, you’ll be your brother’s keeper.
“I believe our people are buying into this unique concept. That explains why there is drastic reduction in communal clashes. For the past fifteen months, we have experienced unprecedented peace and in fact we are regaining our most peaceful State status. Now, Cross River is the darling of every investor who actually wants to invest and make real profits.
“As an advocacy platform, we carry out sensitization campaign to unite and bind us together as one people, we also promote our rich tourism potentials as well as various business and investment opportunities available in the State.
“It is our believe that our people should reciprocate what our Governor is doing to reinvent our State. After many years, the Governor has set aside N10billion for payment of gratuities. The paper works are ongoing and very soon, our retirees shall be smiling to the banks. I think we should commend His Excellency for this feat.
“He is constructing a shorter-distance alternative route from Adiabo axis through Creek Town – Ikoneto -Okutikang to Akwa Ibom thereby bypassing the problematic Calabar-Itu road. This will reduce the distance of travel from Calabar to Akwa Ibom by over 70 percent.
The Governor is doing a railway from Calabar to Obudu. From what experts told us, the project will have stopovers in Ugep, Ikom and Ogoja. And again, that project will greatly minimize the long distance of travelling for almost 7 to 8 hours from Calabar to Obudu and Ogoja and reduce travelling time by almost 75 percent. These are just some of the gigantic steps the Governor has taken to ensure that Cross Riverians enjoy ease of transportation.”
While urging all Cross River state people to give the government the needed support and encouragement, he said: “The fact that you are doing business or living here means that you are a Cross Riverian. All of us should come together to ensure that we are all part of what the government is doing.
“We should protect government facilities around your locality. We must all join hands together to ensure that you reach out to security agents whenever you see anything going wrong in your community, as well as ensuring that we keep our environment clean. Everything cannot be about government. You have a significant role to play.
“We commend the Governor for taking bold steps for the interest of our dear State and that is why we, in Think Cross River Initiative, will continue to work with His Excellency until we have the Cross River state of our dream.”
