By Onwa Ekor, Calabar
In his resolve to decentralize Christmas festivities across the three senatorial districts of the state, the Cross River governor, Prince Bassey Otu, has lit up the Christmas tree in the northern senatorial district of the state.
This development, signals the commencement of the yuletide activities across the district, paving way for the people to have a feel of the season which is characterized with love, oneness and true brotherhood in spite of religion and political differences.
Lighting the tree at Ogoja town, the governor implored the people of the senatorial district to take advantage of the gesture to showcase their cultural heritage while ensuring that the warmth and hospitality of the state continue to remain intact.
“It is indeed a rare privilege to declare the beginning of Carnival 2024 with Ogoja and the entire northern senatorial district as the first point, when we finish from here we are going to Ikom and of course Calabar is going to be the last.
“Let me thank the Council Chairman and the people of the Northern Senatorial District for all I am seeing here in preparation for the festivities, if you are not fit, please begin to practise,” Otu said.
In a related development, the Ogoja Council Chairman, Christopher Agbeh, floated shuttle buses to ameliorate the transportation pains of his people.
This gesture is coming barely a month after the elected council chairmen were sworn in after a free and fair local government elections in the state.
Flagging off the buses which were painted in sky blue and white colours with inscriptions, “Ogoja Council Line Town Shuttle Services,” the governor commended the Council Chairman for starting on a good foot.
The governor who wondered how the Chairman achieved such feat within a few days without take off funds, admitted that he is impressed, urging him to keep it up and others to emulate.
According to Otu, with the introduction of the buses, the pains of commuters who hitherto paid N2000 from Ndok junction to Igoli, has been reduced since they would now pay N500 only, for such distance.
He charged the people to use the buses for the purpose they were procured and never abuse the privilege.
Earlier, the Ogoja Council Chairman said he was touched by the suffering of his constituents who paid high fares moving from one place to another, in a bid to engage in legitimate businesses.
Soliciting the cooperation of all to enable him achieve his goals in line with the ‘people first’ mantra of the present administration, Agbeh assured that more projects aimed at ameliorating the plight of the people would come.
