In the words of Anon, ‘Ordinary people think of spending time: Great people think of using it.’ Isak Dineson summed up his own words of winning this way: ‘don’t count every hour in a day, make every hour in the day count.’ These two great sayings are still relevant in describing the tenure Senator Liyel Imoke had spent in office as governor of Cross River State. Indeed, Imoke didn’t just spend the time: He used it.

This no doubt accounts for the loads of calls he has been receiving from Cross River people from all walks of life to re-contest the gubernatorial election this month and continue with the transformation he has initiated since 2007.

It was a huge shock for the people, when the Supreme Court, last week, ended the tenure of five governors, including  Imoke. To them, it was a temporary setback, but not to the extent that it washed away what has been achieved by the administration, beginning from manpower to infrastructural development across sectors such as health, education, tourism, rural roads and electrification, science and technology, agriculture, women development, job creation and Information Communication Technology (ICT).

The common man now has access to education, health facilities, good roads to transport agricultural products, including inputs to improve on farm production. In the area of education, about 60 secondary schools across the 18 local government areas have, so far, been comprehensively renovated and are now equipped with standard science and computer laboratories and libraries.

In health, several General Hospitals and health care centres, including the ones in Igbo Imabana II, Abi Local Government Area, Ugboro-Ijibo in Bekwarra, Ipene in Biase, Oku-Bushuyu in Boki, College of Health Technology, Calabar, Okoroba in Etung, Ketting in Obanliku, Ofiorti Okpitumo in Obubra, Ukprinyi in Obudu, Mbube West II Odaje in Ogoja and Ijiaraga, Wanikade in Yala Local Government Area, whose renovation and construction have been completed by the administration. Several others are either undergoing renovation or construction.

On infrastructure, such as road construction and reconstruction, the state government, through Rural Development Agency (RUDA), has completed no fewer than 11 rural roads, while about 18 of them are ongoing, and another 474 kilometres of roads covering 29 across rural communities in 17 local government areas are being handled by the state Ministry of Works under the Cross River Rural Access and Mobility project (CR-RAMP). A good number of them have been completed and were to be commissioned before the Supreme Court judgement.

On power supply, which is a component of the state seven-point agenda, aimed at providing and sustaining infrastructure, over 167 rural communities in the state are now benefitting from electricity and solar power boreholes. A good number of them also now have standard boreholes that generate potable water for drinking and for industrial use. These include Ngoli/Iyagor and Eteweh electricity projects and installation of solar and boreholes in Imabana and Ekureku in Abi Local Government Area; electricity in Awi to Mbarakom, Nsan/Obun, Okomita, Federal Housing and Iwuru, solar in Government Secondary School, Akamkpa, Iwuru Central and Iko Esai, as well as the drilling of boreholes in Iwuru Central, Iko Esai and Mfamosing, all in Akamkpa Local Government Area.

Other communities also benefitting from electricity provided by Imoke’s administration include Idundu, Asanka, with boreholes in Atimbo East, Ikot Ekpo, Akansoko, Ikot Edem Odo Secondary School, Government Comprehensive High School in Akwa, Ikot Effiom, Esuk Mba and Esuk Ewa in Akpabuyo Local Government Area. Solar machines for generating power has been installed in parts of the area where boreholes have been drilled.

Bakassi, Nsidung/Ikot Adiaha, has now been electrified, while Ikot Inwang has been provided with alternative solar energy. At Bekwarra, Ijibor, Owala/Bewo, Abuagbor and Nichogodo communities can now boast of electricity, courtesy of the Imoke’s administration, while Bekwarra Secondary School, Abuochiche now has both solar and borehole. There are also boreholes now in Ubiba, Ochagbe and Abukpem(Gakem).

It was also within the administration that solar was installed in Ipene, Umon Island and Community Secondary School, Adim in Biase Local Government Area, while boreholes have been provided in Betem and Iwuru in the area. There is now also electricity in Nkim-Osokom, borehole and solar in Buda in Boki.

In Calabar South, solar has now been installed in Calabar Municipal Government College, Ikot Ansa, and NYSC Demonstration School, while the area now witnesses electricity in Water Board Intake, Abattoir Community, New GRA, Ikorinim, with boreholes installed in Ikot Effanga and Ward 2 of the municipality. Calabar South now has most of its streets electrified, while solar has been installed at the Technical College, Main Avenue, which also now has a standard borehole.

While Ekugatai and Atuma communities in Etung Local Government Area now has electricity supply, Mfum has both solar and borehole. The solar has been installed in Balep-Opu, Adijinkpor, Abaragba and Government Secondary School, Ikom in Ikom local Government Area, while Atimaka, Grass Field and Abaragba now has electricity. The case is not different in Ketting, Bisu-Bayayan, Kukare, Utuhu and Community Secondary School, Sankwala, now with solar in Obanliku, with most of them, including Bagga Market and Blekonnu now having boreholes.

In Obubra, the administration has also electrified Imabana Ochukwu, Ogada, apiapum and Ochon, while solar energy now exist in Mbembe Community School. Ukambi/Ikwomiku and Ngarkpor/Binhue in Obudu have also been electrified with solar and boreholes provided in Ipong-Kakum and Government Secondary School, Obudu.

Ukem, Ukim Ita and Efut Ibonda in Odukpani local Government Area now has power supply, while boreholes have been provided in Obomitiat, Creek Town and Ukwa, with solar now existing in some of the communities, in addition to Ikoneto. Electricity in Ogoja is now evident in Mbok/Mojakabekabe, Mfuma 1 and 2 and Bansan, while boreholes exist in Ukpe and Idum Mbube, which also has solar energy.
Truly, Imoke has proved to be an outstanding leader with feasible achievements for his people.

Oham writes in from Calabar, Cross River.

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