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The Okada Flight in Cross River By Patrick Ugbe DO not misunderstand me. I know we used to have an airline that went by that name, which eventually took flight off the Nigerian skyline. What I am actually referring to is the Cross River State experience with the commercial motorcycles popularly referred to as "Okada". It is not news anymore that their operations have been banned in the Canaan City of Calabar and to good effect for that matter. When the idea was first mooted, the question asked by most people was: Can it be done? One can understand their skepticism. Afterall this is one of the places where commercial motorcycle was first introduced. Then it was known as "ake-uke" meaning "where are you going", before its national rebranding scheme that saw it emerge with the new name of "Okada". Apart from that, Cross River State had a well-organised commercial motorcycle set-up, even with a regulatory agency. The Cross River model was actually the model recommended by FRSC to other states especially with their compliance with the use of crash helmets. So to some people, this was going to be a tough call. But His Excellency Senator Liyel Imoke, Governor of Cross River State once again demonstrated that he is not one to shy away from taking tough political decisions, especially if such decisions are for the common good. Months leading to the phase-out date, the Governor had set the machinery in motion by setting up a committee to work out the modalities. This committee which included officials of Okada Riders Association, met with all stakeholders including the Okada riders themselves and charted a pathway to follow. There was palpable apprehension as the day for the phase-out approached. Will the plan work? Will it fail? But lo and behold, Sunday, November 22, 2009 came and the ban kicked into effect, albeit with a little hiccups, which is quite understandable. These hiccups have long been corrected. The interesting thing about the Cross River experience which I believe will also become a model for the country is the way and manner the phase-out was structured. This is the first time that a ban will be effected, with a plan to cushion the effect on both the masses, and the Okada riders who were directly affected. For the masses, government knew that it had to provide an alternative, though a new urban taxi scheme. So Government procured 250 brand new Chevrolet and Suzuki cars and 60 Toyota Hiace buses, all "tear rubber" as they would say. The vehicles were procured through micro credit funding managed by two Micro-Finance banks and supported by the State Government. With these in place, the ban was set to kick in. I remember once before the hosting of the Under-17 tournament, someone suggested an immediate ban of "Okada" and His Excellency vehemently opposed the suggestion, saying you must provide the people with an alternative, so that you don't inflict pain on them. Such is the nature of Senator Liyel Imoke, that driving by the road and seeing a large crowd waiting by the bus-stop, would immediately scream at the operators and the Department of Public Transportation to ensure they get out the cars and move the people. Because of that, the numbers of the taxis have been increased by another 100, to 350. The transition plan for the operators (Okada riders) was to make them form co-operatives to enable them operate the new taxis and buses that Government had provided to replace the okada. Government had to educate them on how to form co-operatives and how to run their businesses. So invariably, government was building a new class of entrepreneurs as those who bought into it are today the better for it and we shall see how in a moment. For me, the positives from this ban are many. Firstly, in this 21st Century, using the motorcycle as a means of public transportation is an aberration. It distorts the aesthetic beauty of the city, and for Cross River to succeed as a tourism destination, then we must be forward thinking and provide modern means of public transportation that is safe and secure, befitting its status. That is what we are doing. Again since the ban, the casualty wards of the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital and the State General Hospital have been virtually empty. Before the ban, you could hardly find any space in the wards due to accidents involving Okads, some of which were fatal or got the passengers and the riders themselves maimed for life. Today even the traditional bone healers are seeing a decline in their clientele. Thirdly, the operators have witnessed a massive boost of their revenues. From investigation, the least daily take-home by any of the operators on a bad business day is N20,000.00, which more than doubles what they were making from the bikes, and if you add the risk factor, then you'll see what I mean. And then crime. Need I say more that petty crime has reduced drastically in Calabar. It was becoming the norm to hear of criminals using Okada to get away quickly from their crime scenes, but since the ban, the city has been calm. Also, the ban has positively produced a new generation of car owners. A friend who just bought a car, recently told me that he owes His Excellency, Governor Imoke a lot of gratitude for inspiring him to own a car. He surely won't be the only one, as there are more like him. The Okada ban in Cross River State has been hugely successful mainly due to the fact that there has been a concerted development of urban roads. A couple of years ago, the taxis wouldn't have been able to venture into Calabar South as the roads were not just deplorable but impassable. But today, thanks to the Imoke administration, Calabar South has some of the best urban roads in the country. This has encouraged a lot of people, not just the Okada operators, to key into the taxi scheme, and this scheme is being managed effectively by the private sector through Pronto Cabs Limited, with the supervision of the Department of Public Transportation. A perfect example of the Public Private Partnership model, being propagated by Governor Imoke. To those who doubted the workability or the success of the phase-out, it is gladdening to let them see that it is not only workable but hugely successful, and is further transforming the City of Calabar into a modern City, living up to its billing as a destination. To those who asked - Can it be done? The answer is "Yes it can", and in Cross River , "Okada" has taken flight. Ugbe is Chief Press Secretary to the Cross River State Governor
Gauging Tourism TEMPO In Cross River ONE year into the task of helping of building Cross River State's tourism into a quality brand and attract all-season patronage, Tourism Employment and Opportunity (TEMPO) has debuted with Cross River Quality (CRQ) Ambassador promotional tour packages. ANDREW IRO OKUNGBOWA periscopes the five different tourism offerings of the promotional tour packages for the delight of tourists commencing in this month of sharing love - Valentine. THERE could have be no other befitting month to commence an introductory tour package to Cross River State by Tourism Employment and Opportunity (TEMPO) than this month - February, which is symbolically dedicated to sharing love. TEMPO is the CDC Development Solutions initiative funded by the MSME Nigeria Project of the federal government of Nigeria and the World Bank alongside other private bodies as a pilot project to help develop quality products and services in what is known as Cross River Quality (CRQ) platform in a bid to push the Cross River Tourism brand to the frontiers of global tourist destination. According to the team leader of TEMPO, Mr. Alvin Rosenbaum, the Ambassador tour promotional packages are billed to commence on February 12th and end on March 14. Rosenbaum informs that the bottom line is to offer a lifetime opportunity for people to savour a blend of the vast and rich tourism treasures of Cross River State. "It is a chance to experience it first hand through our exciting introductory Cross River Quality (CRQ) Ambassador promotion," he says, stressing "we guarantee that once you have had a taste of the quality, value and security of Cross River State, you would become ambassador of Cross River." At the formal public presentation of the promotional tour packages last month in Lagos, the Acting Managing Director of Cross River State Tourism Bureau (CRSTB), Mrs. Elinda Osima-Dokubo also harped on the importance the state government places on the project, as it is hoped that it would jumpstart the process of making Cross River Tourism brand all season attraction for tourists. This indeed is an ambitious project however, Rosenbaum, sees no reason why Cross River Tourism brand should not achieve this record in no distant time. He hinges his faith on the enchanting destination, which he says is waiting for the world to discover its famous "hospitality, luxury accommodation, mouthwatering traditional cuisine, nature's abundance and other fun-filled activities." It is in this wise that the five different promotional offers now on sale offer something exciting, captivating and colourful, ranging from the "beautiful Obudu Mountain Resort to the halls of Calabar's churches and the historic water front of Calabar South to the shops of the Tinapa Business Resort." Here are details of the five tour packages: Valentine's Romance: This is a special package that is dedicated to the celebration of Valentine's Day and is scheduled for next weekend (February 12 - 14). This is a package every lovebird and couple should look forward to as it offers a memorable moment for them to rekindle their relationship in a romantic and delectable atmosphere. One of the prime activities of the package is a special Valentine's Soiree that is scheduled to hold on Saturday February 13 while events of the two- nights' accommodation in Calabar (breakfast inconclusive) package include city tour, music and entertainment festival and locally produced gift items. Meet Me In Cross River: This is billed for conference and business meetings (MICE) planners to exploit the natural and calm ambience of the city of Calabar, Tinapa Business Resort and Obudu Mountain Resort among others, which are known for their captivating sceneries. The details of this package include - accommodation (breakfast inconclusive), conference/meeting venue with tea breaks and standard multi-media equipment, city tour of Calabar, roundtrip fare and airport pick-up and drop-off. Also expect a lavish treat to the artistic and cultural entertainment offerings of Cross Riverians with musical concerts, theatre shows and traditional hospitality. Destination Calabar: It is a getaway leisure package that is expected to treat tourists to the whole gamut of Calabar tourism offerings ranging from the famous traditional hospitality of the people, lifestyle, arts, culture, cuisine and nightlife of Calabar. It is a weekend package that includes two nights' accommodation in Calabar (breakfast inconclusive), airport pick-up and drop-off, city tour of Calabar, gift basket of local products and music and festival entertainment. Paradise In The Clouds: It is a special treat at the Obudu Mountain Resort, which is noted for its temperate climate where one could exploit nature unspoiled to one's fill. Some of the details of the package include two nights' accommodation (breakfast inconclusive), cable car ride and canopy walk, bonfire, local products gift basket, airport pick-up and drop-off, ground transfer by bus to Obudu, musical and entertainment festival and a tour of the rolling hills of Obudu and the local communities. Gospel Encounters: This package is geared at exploring the religious content of the destination and is meant for religious groups and individuals of different religious persuasions to embark on a retreat and religious pilgrimage or sort of religious rejuvenation. Details of the package are two nights' accommodation in Calabar (breakfast inconclusive), one ticket to gospel musical concert, church worship session, gift basket of local items, picnic in a Christian community with lunch served, and a tour of Calabar, airport pick-up and drop-off. Besides the Okoi Arikpo House, 10, Calabar Road office of TEMPO, these tour offerings can be purchased from any tour operator and travel agent across the country. You may want to also visit TEMPO's website: www.crossriverquality.com as well as Skytrip Services on 65, MCC Road, Calabar - www.skytrip.calabar@yahoo.com; 08023804217, 08061303339, 08052741600 and 07028913733. This is one exciting and trail blazing promotional tour packages anyone should not miss because it cannot come better packaged and prized than this. This is hoping as Rosenbaum and Mrs. Osima-Dokubo have declared that this is the beginning of a new move to establish the Cross River Tourism brand as an all season and must visit destination.
Imoke Lauds VP Over Bakassi Resettlement GOVERNOR Liyel Imoke of Cross River State has lauded the efforts of Vice President Goodluck Jonathan for adopting a pragmatic approach to ensure a peaceful and full implementation of the resettlement of the displaced people of Bakassi despite its challenges. Imoke spoke when he received a delegation of the Presidential Committee on Security in Bakassi led by Mrs. Moremi Onijala, on a courtesy visit. He added that the gesture was a demonstration of the goodwill and commitment to the state in ensuring that the people were fully resettled and integrated with their kinsmen. He noted the efforts of the various agencies that had worked assiduously in collaboration with the state's agency since the commencement of the successful withdrawal process in August 2008, maintaining that the state had remained peaceful, patriotic and loyal to the higher authorities in order to fully implement the Green Tree Agreement reached by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and would continue to remain useful partner. The governor, however, decried the painful loss of some oil wells belonging to the state to another state and the delisting of the state from the league of oil-producing states following the ceding of Bakassi.
Kinsmen at War Over Senate/Rep From Anietie Akpan, Calabar Central Senatorial district, Cross River State is in virtual political fire. The fight is over which community grouping within the district produces the next slots for the Senate and House of Representatives in the 2011 election. At the centre of the showdown are the old Obubra Local Council comprising Obubra, Abi and Yakurr local councils and the old Ikom comprising Ikom, Etung, and Boki local councils. The Obubra people are insisting that it is their turn to have both the Senate and House slots in 2011. Their contention is that since 1999, the old Ikom has had the seats as though it belonged exclusively to them. However, their kit and kin in the old Ikom divide are not buying the logic. The Ikom people are firing back that almost all political offices that came the way of the two old councils have gone to old Obubra, adding that if anyone is to complain it should be the people of old Ikom. According to them, the highest political office at the state level (governor) in 1992 went to Yakurr in old Obubra and current governor, Senator Liyel Imoke, is from Abi also on that side. However, Chief Victor Ndoma-Egba from Ikom currently occupies the Senate seat while Dr John Owan Enoh from Etung also on the Ikom side is in the House of Representatives. Right now, a king maker and retired Permanent Secretary, Mr Patrick Hyacinth Iwara, from Ugep on the Obubra side wants the Senate seat. He says: "I am transiting from the civil service to political service and I intend to run for the Senate seat of the central senatorial district of Cross River State. I am married with seven children," he said. According to him, "the senate is for me. It is a very mature house and I see myself as a very mature man having gone through 34 years in the service in different capacities and I was born in 1950. The senate is a place where I can contribute what I have gathered these 34 years. What has happened in Nigerian politics is that somebody just wakes up from sleep and they push him to a position. "It is like moving from a lower level of incompetence to a higher level of incompetence. You find out that the person spends the whole time trying to learn the dynamics of the system. I don't need to learn the dynamics of any system. As a civil servant at the top, I am a politician. Civil servants are politicians who are told to be silent but I think if we talk about the politics of this country, I have participated. I just need my people to give me a voice, particularly from the area where I come. I believe I am mature and experienced enough to represent the people of the central senatorial district. I am exposed enough and I understand the dynamics of the system." On the old Obubra/old Ikom tussle, Iwara said, "It is politics. You would not expect people who want Senator Ndoma-Egba to say that the seat is vacant. But for us technically, it is vacant. It would be vacant at the end of this tenure. Basically, when you share a position with people from the very first day you get into office, it should get into your head that that position has a beginning and has an end. That means, it has to transit to another person within the area. The problem with Nigeria is that nobody ever wants to leave power once he takes power. "We are aware of the third term saga in Nigeria and believe we all vowed that third term was not an issue for Nigerians to swallow. We are a developing society and because we are developing, the only thing that would bring development is change. You see, if you have a lot of people educated, unless you are able to try every one of them, you do not know the difference. The point I am making is that the Senate seat is shared between six council areas. In the first dispensation, (1999-2003) the first senator was Senator Mathew Mbu (Jnr) from that same council area served for 4 years. The next Senator, Victor Ndoma-Egba, is now serving for eight years, which means that that council (Old Ikom) has been able to serve for 12 years. If you were for instance from Old Obubra, how would you feel in terms of this position that we share amongst us. Would you say the seat is not vacant or that your people are not entitled to it?" Told that the Nigerian constitution gives no time limit on a legislature's tenure, Iwara replied that "our development as a nation has not reached a point where one person can continue indefinitely. That is the point I am making. I am not attacking anybody. The constitution is clear. You can stay there till you die if you like. Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba has done very well in his own style. I am not criticizing him. But if you look at the political terrain where we come from it is not ideal. If you go to Ikom where we come from, there are people there who speak Etung and who don't understand the Ikom language itself. There are people who speak Boki in a large area and within that there are still some minorities among them who speak different languages. In Abi, Obubra and Yakurr you still find the same situation. "For a society that is not homogenous, different people, different languages, different backgrounds and different cultures, it is not politically expedient not to allow them partake in the cake that they baked together because that is the way democracy can truly touch everybody. People will tell you "Oh in America so and so has been there for years and so on." The American society is clan-less, despite the different kinds of people there. Over the years they have evolved into a homogenous society with more or less a single understanding of what the people want and not what is imposed on them. On the power structure of PDP and the call for power shift in central, the Macro-Economics and Planning Investment expert who later read Law said, "as far as I am concerned I am even in support of people who believe in someone emerging from a consensus. When I backed a local government chairman in Yakurr for example, he had to go through several processes. In fact when the entire Yakurr sat and decided it was him I was not there. All I did was that I supported him. I proposed him. I did not have the power to force him on the party. I only proposed him. When he went for that election, it was almost like he went there unopposed. The community had peace. "You are aware that a lot of PDP candidates have been thrown out. That is because if you take a candidate that is not popular and there is a more popular candidate somewhere, people would tend to follow the popular one and the only way to make the unpopular one to win is to rig. And if you rig, you expose yourself before the courts. He pointed out that for the House of Representative seat "it is the same problem we have been discussing. It has become imperative for the Obubra people to rise and say enough is enough. Obubra is double the size of Etung. In fact, if all Obubra people vote for an Obubra man and all Etung people vote for an Etung man the Obubra man would win. But the party twisted their hands and said it must be Etung and as loyal people, they followed. For 12 years, just like we have not produced a senator for 12 years. And if anyone of you comes from this place you won't be happy." Reacting, however, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba (SAN) said, "internal crises between Obubra and Ikom of old I know that one or two persons are making that arrangement but it is an argument that is likely to back fire with due respect to them because when you're looking at a basket, you don't just isolate one content of the basket and say 'oh this one has stayed so long in this part of the basket.' You will have to look at every thing that is in the basket. "From 1999 till date we have had opportunities that have come to Central Senatorial district and how they have been allocated. The first was Special Adviser to Mr. President that went to old Obudu, then ministerial appointment that went to old Obubra and after that governorship positions came and went to old Obubra. The two commissions that we have, the Federal Character Commission and the Civil Service Commission went to old Obubra, in fact to Yakurr particularly. So how do you now isolate only the Senatorial seat, when you have a cocktail of opportunities that have come and say the senatorial seat has remained in one place? What of other positions? You have to put everything together and share. On 2011, he said, "I am hoping that we would be able to at least complete the electoral components of constitution review exercise, so that we go into 2011 election under a new legal framework. Having said so the problem largely is not the legal regime under which we hold our elections because I think that the shortcoming of the present legal regime not withstanding is a regime that can work if we have the appropriate mind set. "In Ghana for instance, the electorate is not making any demands on the politicians other than what are your policies. If they compare policies, with policies in USA you will know that the members of the public who funded president Obama's campaign in USA you are looking at the programmes of the political party to arrive at a choice. But in Nigeria, just indicate the ambition to run for counselor, you must pick all the bills in that community, you must pay for every burial, sick child and pay for everybody going to school. So the expectations are totally different. I think that if we could get the Nigerians to begin to see their ballot a secret and know at one point that the secret-ness of their ballot can not get compromised then we will be making a head way. The legal regime is just minimum aspect of our problems. We should not be fixated on tenure, rather should get every vote to count and that every vote should be counted, so that, at any point even during the constitutionally provided term, and the electorate is dissatisfied with the performance, of the incumbent, they can vote him out." On his possible third term at the Senate Ndoma-Egba said, "it is a matter of choice. For me as a person, I have options. You know I am a legal practitioner and I have reached the highest point I can possibly reach in my profession. So for me the decision is to be taken by the people themselves. If they want to build on what they have achieved, fine. For me, all that I can say is that I am available to continue to serve. But whether I am going to run or not is absolutely the decision of the people." Source: The Guardian, 14th January 2010. |
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Senator Liyel Imoke |
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Cross River State Population Languages Religious Belief Capital Local Government Areas State House |
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