The Senator representing Cross River North Senatorial District, Dr Rose Oko, has commenced Cross River State Governor Ben Ayade for the successful hosting of the just concluded maiden Cross River North Agriculture and Cultural Festival, ( NORTHFEST) and expressed optimism that it would broaden the economic base of the area.
Sen, who is the Chairman, Senate Committee on Diaspora and NGOs made the assertion while assessing the impact created in her senatorial district with the NORTHFEST, which she said the festival has further consolidated on the policy direction of the Governor Ben Ayade-led government for the betterment of the people of the state.
She said: “We hope as we have started today, we hope there would be a continuation of the celebration of our culture in this part of the state, we hope that today’s celebration will encourage our people to even farm more and to even do more in what they know how to do best and that is to work hard, and to farm and to better their lives.
“We hope that after today and going forward, it will not just be a celebration of our culture, it will not just be a festival but we would be able to galvanise us, so that we can unite through our culture, going forward in the politics of Cross River State, in the politics of ourselves and to the betterment of ourselves.
“We do hope that, going forward this festival will broaden the economic base of our people.”
Meanwhile, she also commended the Governor of Cross Rive State, Prof Ben Ayade for making NORTHFEST colourful and successful, which she rated high in comparison to other festivals in the state.
“The people of Cross River North, all the local governments individually, we have been celebrating New Yam festivals, but we have never come together to celebrate our culture and today for the first time in Cross River North we are having a celebration that can equal any in this state, and for that we salute Prof. Ben Ayade and say a big ‘thank you’ to him.
“I say congratulations once more to Cross River North for celebrating this festival, I salute Prof Ben Ayade and I say thank you for all of you who have made this day a great occasion”, she added.
