C’River: APC Chairmanship Candidate Pledges Inclusive Administration
By Abasi Ita
The All Progressives Congress, APC Chairmanship candidate for Calabar Municipality in the November 2 Local Government Election in Cross River State, Apostle James Anam has stated that his administration would create an enabling environment for residents of the state capital to actualize their potential irrespective of primordial sentiments if he is elected into office.
Anam, who spoke with journalists on Thursday while appraising his campaign tour ahead Saturday’s election disclosed that if elected, he would leverage the prevailing robust relationships amongst the various ethnic groups in Calabar Municipality to promote peaceful coexistence to guarantee a conducive atmosphere for seamless implementation of government policies and programmes designed to upscale the living standard of the people.
According to him, “My foray into the chairmanship race is neither coincidental nor accidental. It’s a divine agenda that was waiting for God’s timing. Our blueprint is expected to promote self-reliance through vocational training, rehabilitation of public primary schools to restore the eroding glory of these schools which produced most of us including my humble self, as well as equipping our health centers for effective delivery of affordable and accessible healthcare”
“Our primary schools are now regarded as the last resort for the common man who cannot afford the cheapest nursery schools. This is despite the avalanche of competent teachers which abound in the schools. We will alter this erroneous perception”
Anam stated the focal point of his administration would be carefully tailored to complement the state government’s efforts geared
towards rejigging the state to upscale the tempo of socio-economic development across all spectrums of the economy.
“By the grace of God, I have been around the system for a long time, having served as a Councillor for my ward between 2007 and 2010. I have worked with virtually all the Chairmen of Calabar Municipal Council since 1999. Being a familiar terrain, I have the experience to make a huge difference.
“We will change the negative narratives about local government. For instance, Calabar is globally celebrated as the birthplace of football, but unfortunately, apart from Terem Moffi, we don’t have any Cross Riverian across the national teams. We will collaborate with relevant stakeholders to introduce schools sports amongst primary and secondary schools in the Municipality.
“The vision is to create a platform for our budding sporting athletes to express their talents for possible recognition. We have water around us yet we don’t have swimmers making waves at National Sports Festivals.
“Etim Esin, James Etokebe, Isong Isang, John Okon Ene, Etta Egbe, Leo Moffi, etc were all discovered from school competitions. We are reclaiming our lost glory. It’s unfortunate that once Local government is mentioned, what readily comes to mind, is taxes, levies, and enforcement. Together, we are changing the narratives”
” We have a well-thought-out skill acquisition program to equip our youths with skills meant to promote self-reliance. We will work with relevant MDAs to re-orientate our youths toward embracing vital skills like carpentry, tiling, electrical installations, aluminum fabrication, computer repairs and maintenance, phone repairs, ICT, agriculture, poultry, fish farming, etc. We are lagging behind when it comes to these areas. We have to brace up”
“Our administration would explore viable options to boost our IGR and block leakages. We need to think outside the box to run our youth-focused agenda rather than depending solely on statutory allocation”
On his agenda for food security, Anam posited” The Council used to have vast hectares of land at Bakoko where palm oil, pineapples, cassava, vegetable melon, and other cash crop were cultivated for annual agricultural trade fairs amongst the 18 local government councils. We will reinvent this laudable initiative, expand it, and get our youths involved”
He posited further that he will ensure a good sanitary state of markets in the metropolitan city, revealing that the Council under his watch will work assiduously with relevant government agencies to keep Marian, Akim, Edim Otop, Ikot Ishie, and Eight Miles Markets clean and conducive for business while curtailing multiple taxation.
Reacting to a recent video making rounds on social media where he purportedly hinted that strangers will not benefit from his government if elected, Anam described the insinuations as the handiwork of mischief makers.
In his words:” By the grace of God, I am a pastor of a Church comprising Nigerians and even non-Nigerians legally residing in Calabar. I am an in-law in our sister state, Akwa Ibom. Does it mean I will segregate my in-laws, friends, or church members because I am in government, thereby straining a relationship cultivated over several decades? Our distractors are bereft of ideas for hindering this divine project.”During my brief stint as Director General of the State Emergency Management Agency, SEMA, I ensured our brothers and sisters from other states dwelling among us were captured in the palliatives distribution list. From every angle,
we have historical affinities that can’t be sacrificed on the altar of politics.
“Besides, the present economic situation affects all of us, irrespective of ethnic background, so why should democratic dividends or government interventions meant to address such stress be predicated on ethnic coloration? We can’t play such a card because it’s not in our DNA. Let’s stop molding mountains out of anthills, it doesn’t add up. Anam emphasized.