The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus and a former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, have hailed what they described as Governor Ben Ayade’s wind of industrialization sweeping across the state.
Both Secondus and Ihedioha, who were in Calabar to receive the All Progressives Congress Party decampees to the PDP spoke after inspecting various ongoing projects at the Ayade Industrial Park as well as the 21 megawatts power plant in Calabar.
Similarly, the immediate past governor of the state, Senator Liyel Imoke and former Special Adviser on National Assembly (Senate) Matters to President Olusegun Obasanjo, Senator Florence Ita-Giwa, also lent their voices, extolling the vision of Ayade in industrialising the state.
Speaking on the projects, Secondus said: “I think it is a major landmark achievement not only for Cross River but for the entire nation because, if all the states adopt this strategy, we can see Nigeria moving towards industrialization.”
He noted that “it is not an easy task but you can see that Ayade has started very well, laying good foundation and in a couple of years to come, people will begin to see this as a destination for both tourism and industrialization.”
Listing the rice seedlings and seeds multiplication factory, Chicken factory, the garment factory, the pharmaceutical company as well as the instant nodules factory and power plant, being undertaken by Ayade in the state within such a short period, the PDP national chairman said: “All of these put together in this industrial estate will turnaround the economy of the state and most importantly too, because this is the era that most of our youths are unemployed, this is going to provide massive employment to our people.
“We are not only proud, we are excited and happy that he is one of us. I also believe that other states should imitate the PDP states as they are all doing very well and I know that Emeka is waiting on the line to take this to Imo State.”
On his part, Ihedioha expressed happiness “with the giant steps recorded by Cross River and I am happy that Governor Ben Ayade is keeping faith with the economic strides.”
He maintained that industrialization remains very fundamental as it facilitates job creation which is very fundamental to the people as well as the provision of power which is the basics of it.”
Expressing excitement at the direction Governor Ayade is headed, Ihedioha said: “I am happy that Ayade is taking a direction that the national should be angling towards, truly I am impressed.”
In a similar vein, Senator Imoke remarked that “You know what we represent in Cross River, what our party represents in Cross River and what our governor represents in Cross River. Today we have seen the continuous growth and development taking place here and the national chairman has come in person to also see same.”
Continuing, the immediate past governor said: “Ayade has a very big vision. I was reminding him of those days when he expressed an interest to run for governor and I told him that one of the things I liked about him was that his vision was much bigger than his person. I always encouraged him to drive that vision that Cross River needed to be able to catch up on other states that have much more resources than Cross River.”
Imoke, while applauding his successor’s vision in the industrialization of Cross River said: “We commend his efforts and this power plant in particular, I believe it will be delivering power shortly and that is very important.”
Ita-Giwa who was full of excitement all through the inspection exercise also bared her mind to newsmen as she revealed that “one of the reasons I came back home was when Ayade brought me to show this project. I was really amazed because what Cross River needs is where we are today, which is industrialization.”
Continuing, Ita- Giwa who is also a returnee to the PDP, having had a brief stint with APC for more than a year, explained that “each government comes with its own project but today, what we see here, I call it the silent industrial revolution; that is how I can describe it.
“This is what is going to turn around the economy of this state, this is what is going to provide jobs, this is what is going to take the kids off the streets because they will all be engaged and this is what is going to change our lives. And of course with the Bakassi deep seaport and once it comes on stream, then we are a billionaire state and that is why when I saw this, I was so elated.”
Ita Giwa further added: “I was so happy and I said to him (Ayade) that please, let me be the ambassador of this industrial revolution and that is one of the things that really made me decide to come back and assist this man in his efforts and what he is doing for this state.”
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