The leadership and members of the Cross River State Journalists Forum (CROSSJOF), Abuja chapter have applauded Cross River State governor, Prof. Ben Ayade over his resolute and purposeful leadership in the state, while commending him on his recent stride by concluding plans with investors in China to begin the construction of Bakassi Deep Seaport.
The journalists group said, Governor Ayade has demonstrated his pursuit to provide purposeful leadership to the state through his various projects; which construction of the Bakassi Deep Seaport and the Supper Highway is in the front burners among others.
Moreover, this stride the group added has restored the people’s confident over his quest to fulfil his campaign promises.
CROSSJOF while stating this in a statement signed by the secretary of the group, Raphael Ekpang, said, “We therefore want to assure him that whatever will make him succeed and provide dividend of democracy to our people; we are solidly behind him.
“We have no doubt in the ability of Senator (Prof) Ben Ayade to turn the fortune of the state around, therefore, we want to plead with those that are bent in continuously distracting him to have a rethink because we want development in our state and anyone standing against that would be seen as enemy of the state.
“However, we are calling on Cross Riverians both home and abroad to join hands with the government of Ayade in moving the state forward especially now that the apex court in the land (Supreme Court) has cleared all doubts surrounding his victory in the April 2015 poll.”
Ayade has boasted that the construction work of the Seaport, which will be the deepest in the country, will soon commence, and with his latest visit to China in company of his key commissioners and advisers, everyone in the state and across the globe now see why he needs supports to achieve this laudable project.
The proposed seaport with a draft of over 16ft, enjoys the support of President Muhammadu Buhari, who, during the flag off of the 260km superhighway, the evacuation corridor for the seaport, promised to help in its realization.
The governor was also quoted to have said the deep seaport would not compete with existing Calabar port, but would complement it because the Bakassi port would be a 16 metres draft and will accommodate mother vessels especially from the Far East.
Ayade had last year said the deep seaport had received presidential nod.
“Even in the face of several challenges and the fear that this project was impossible, the president has kept giving me proper encouragement and I amhappy to acknowledge that,” the governor said, during the official visit of the managing director of Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA).
