…says ambition covenant with God
Ahead of the February 2020 local government poll in Cross River State, a chairmanship aspirant under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), for Yala, Engr Cosmas Oloko Ekawu, has promised to embark on massive infrastructural development and poverty alleviation programmes amongst others in the LGA if elected.
Ekawu, who made this known while speaking on his ambition which according to him is a covenant with God based on his acceptability and call by his people, said the people of Yala LGA deserve to be served with the best of infrastructure, because they have all it takes to be placed on an enviable height of socio-economic development as their dividend of democracy.
He further emphasized that the bedrock of development remains quality, affordable and accessible education, hence he will do everything humanly possible to give the people of his LGA the best of education which no child would be exempted.
He stressed that he will tackle the challenge of poverty in the lives of his people head-on through a well thought-out innovative poverty alleviation scheme.
The Cross River State is to hold local government election on February 22, 2020, which the Chairman of the Cross River State Independent Electoral Commission, CROSIEC, Dr. Mike Ushie, has released the time table for the election.
Ushie explained that CROSIEC is set to conduct the election on the principles of free, fair and acceptable as it has been conducting elections in the state
He said: “My covenant with God is, if He makes me chairman of Yala Local Government, I will tackle the hydra-headed challenge of poverty through our innovative poverty alleviation policy.
I am here in Calabar consulting both the critical and relevant stakeholders in Yala and our team are receiving their full support and assurances. I am confident that I will be their choice at both the party level and in the forthcoming council election.
“I don’t believe in talking too much because I have been a committed and loyal party member who believe in action and actualising achievable goals within a stipulated period of time.
“My team and I will ensure every child of school age that is out of school returns back to school. We are coming up with a proactive programme that will involve and engage the community leaders, including women and youth leaders alongside community based Organisations through an aggressive ‘Back to School Campaign’ programme that would be adequately funded.
“We are going to ensure that under this project school drop-outs as a result of financial challenges, bereavement, sickness and other factors for not being able to gain admission or can’t fund their schooling will be addressed through our University education campaign for all our sons and daughters.
“On infrastructure, my team and I will get the best surveyors to give us the land mass of Yala, which we will come up with a sophisticated infrastructural development plan that would drive industrialisation and create a conducive environment for investors and make life meaningful for the people.
“We will also embark on total transformation of Yala into an industrial hub with all the basic amenities that would make it one of the world’s investment destinations with a world class park. Yala will take it’s pride of place under my leadership as chairman of council.”
He also added that, “We will revive the various cosmopolitan towns across Yala from Yache to Gabu, Okuku to Ugaga, Okpoma to Yehe, Nfoma-Ntrigom to Wanokom, and across the entire Ukelle. We will get rid of all erosion problems and clean up our environment for healthy living and for the businesses of our people to thrive. Yala will be a model and modern LGA of attraction.
“I will re-engineer Yala and embark on an internal revenue generation drive that will make us depend less on monthly allocations through a cost effective plan.
“I want our people to know that one of our biggest challenges is the bad shape of our roads therefore, attention would be given to our local roads in making them good enough for vehicular movements.
He stressed that, erosion is ravaging some of our communities, we must as a matter of urgency introduce side drains with a well cambered grading to our roads while efforts geared towards asphalting them would be of top priority.
“The bridge connecting Okpoma and Itekpa which no government has given a thought would be one of the things I shall involve all the engineers and professionals in Yala to come together to brainstorm and come up with the most affordable means of using our indegineous professionals to actualize as the chairman of “forum for Yala engineers and allied professionals”
“I will bring my wealth of knowledge as a structural engineer to bear in the administration of the council.
“If you elect me we will all celebrate,” he said.
