By Lawrence Mpama
Barr. Dr. Ekpenyong Akiba knows his onions as far as administration of Senator Prince Bassey Edet Otu’s government is involved, as a key figure in the government of Cross River State, serving as Special Adviser on General Duties and Administration to Senator Prince Bassey Otu. In this role, he has been instrumental in promoting the governor’s initiatives and policies aimed at improving the lives of Cross Riverians.
One notable aspect of his work is his emphasis on the governor’s commitment to democratic dividends and people-centered policies. He has been quoted as saying that Governor Otu is dedicated to delivering progress and development to the state.
Barr. Akiba has also been involved in various initiatives aimed at transforming lives in Cross River State. For instance, he chairs the monitoring committee for the “Season of Sweetness” initiative, which is part of Governor Otu’s promise to prioritize pro-people policies.
In recognition of his contributions to human capital development and the state’s growth, Barr. Akiba has received an Honorary Doctorate Degree of Divinity from The Apostolic Church Bible College and Seminary.
The special Adviser took out time from his busy schedule to interact with a few senior journalists and bears his mind on the progress made so far by his principal in bringing dividends of democracy to the people and the state. Cross Atlantic Newspaper was there and brings you this excerpt, which is refreshing and captivating, read on :
I know you are handling diplomatic shuttling and everything, but what does your office do?
Ans:
Okay, for me let me start by thanking you all for your interest in this administration. In fact the interest did not just begin with the birth of this administration. The interest has been there before the administration began. I’m old enough in the Prince Otu dynasty to understand those that were there perior to the birth of this administration. So I can beat my chest that those of you who are here are fundamental engineers of this administration before its birth. So let me thank you for the consistency. You know, I used to tell people that it isn’t fathering a son that is difficult, but it’s grooming a son to become a man. The same thing in politics; it’s not about voting or projecting a candidate to victory. It’s about guiding that candidate to success. Because its more difficult to represent people than to aspire to represent them. Aspiration, contest, sometimes it may not even take you a long time. Especially in our democracy where it may not even take you a long time to be handpicked. But when you now get into the office, the burden now begins. I’ve seen political leaders who come out early in the morning and see the crowd of people in their compound, either they go back and sleep, or come out and get offended, or become offensive because of the pressure, you know, which they never imagined could become that cumbersome. So, leadership involves a lot of responsibilities. So I thank you for ensuring that you did not only support the Governor to be Governor. But that you also support the Governor to succeed as Governor. Because the successes we’re recording today are as a result of our collective responsibilities being handled differently, and I know that you are really, really supporting this administration.
Barr Akiba went on to specifics, On what I do. You know His excellency is a very creative thinker. He is also a strategic leader. I can say that he is a master strategist, because, he created this office. You can check in the records, you’ll see that this office has never been there: ‘general duties’. That’s why people still conflict my office with special duties. I’m introduced in several functions, I mean I’m being addressed in a lot of official documents as ‘Special Adviser, Special Duties’, Whereas I am ‘Special Adiser, General Duties’. The creation of the Governor! And that creation has even been copied by other states the way it is going. I’ve began to see my office replicated in other states. And that is because the Governor in his own wisdom, spotted me as someone that has the ability to multitask. He said that -in his words- that I’m one young man that has the ability to multitask. In this administration, he is covering everywhere. There is no ministry or department in this state that Prince Otu has not impacted in one way or the other. There’s no sector that is being abandoned. That is because he himself has that intention, or has decided to ensure that every sector requires attention. And he needs people like us to be able to run errands across boards. Now when you’re functioning as a General Duties, Special Adviser, what comes to mind is that you have no limit of functions. That means, he is giving you access. Because in governance access is critical. As Special adviser, General Duties, that means you can function in any area of responsibilities, in the absence of a specific person to function that capacity. So as to ensure that the Governor, or the government does not operate in a vacuum. So that there is no opening or lacuna in the course of our administration. For instance, there could be an emergency where we need the DG SEMA to run in and intervene in a particular situation. And the DG might not be on ground at that particular time. So, my office bridges that gap. You know, hold it, till the DG is available to take the responsibility. So, my office can gather whatever information, and whatever could be preliminary in that circumstance, pending when we’ll now be able to do what is permanent. So, the office of the general duties is like an intermediary with other government departments and agencies. My office is like a liaison between other top government functionaries and the people. Because our Governor believes in ensuring that there is no gap in communication. Now, because my office is working across board, my office can also report to the Governor on the spot on what is going on in any sector, or every sector, depending on what is going on
Questions: As your duty overlaps, will it not be conflicting with some duties of ministries and Commissioners?
Ans:
Yes, because the main essence is to ensure that the right thing is done, and that there is due diligence, and also adherence to the organisational principles of the government. So, I don’t also owe any duty to any other person, other that my principal. Because the relationship I share with every other person is secondary. My primary relationship and responsibility is with the Governor. That is paramount! So, in an event where there will be some conflict, the conflict cannot overlap the governors interest. Because, that conflict will be swallowed by the Governors interest. So, where there could be seeming conflict, the Governor will stand in the gap. Because, I will not go to anywhere without taking permission from the Governor. I will not also infringe on any officers responsibility where the officer is doing what he ought to. The only time my office might step in -like I said earlier- is when there is a gap. So, my office can be quiet where there is no crisis. But where there is needs, crisis, requests, demands, complaints, etc. The office of the General Duties will now come. Because my office is like a shade to be able to protect every other office. That is why most of the Commissioners, and my colleagues, and Director Generals work hand-in-hand. We work in close synergy, because most times I’ll be able to support with ideas, I’ll also be able to guide with the things I know the Governor prefers.
The special Adviser averred that, “Having been with the Governor for more that two (2) decades, I understand the Governor’s character. You know, He is a man that is very humble, and very passionate and compassionate about the people. He is happier when every other person is happy. He believes in people. He is someone that has a lot of contentment. And I’m saying with all amount of sincerity, our Governor is someone that is very satisfied. His nature of stability is unprecedented. So for me, many may not understand him to that extent, but I’ve grown up under his tutelage. I’ve studied him like a course. So, I can make authoritative testimonies and recommendations dations, and factual statements on what he wants. I can predict what he will like. Just like your wife that you live with. You can say, ‘on Sunday she will not miss church’, because she is your wife. So, His Excellency, I can tell somebody, if you do this, and that, the Governor will be happy, because I know what makes him happy. So, for me, I enjoy my office because the Governor has also given all of us an opportunity to function
Questions: Are you his anointed, as some of your colleagues say that you are an anointed son?
Ans:
His Excellency, I must say, doesn’t have any preferred son. Because, the only time you appear to be annointed is when you have done what is right. Your rightness of action will give you the needed attention of the Governor. ‘Rightness of Action’. And, your diligence is in your duty will also attract you the Governors blessings. And that is without boundary. Regardless of where you’re from. Regardless of how long you’ve been with the Governor. The records are there. I have people in this government that are testifying. Some of them did not support the Governor. Some of them came in to this government having been in PDP. But they are testifying to the level of accomodation, and to the level of support coming from the Governor. So, there’s nothing like being annointed. Any annointing that is coming to any of us is in direct response to our performance. It isn’t single because we are who we are. So, that annointing is wil be seen in many forms, and it is relative like you said. So, I used to say that anybody is entitled to call anybody any name. Even when Christ was on earth He was called many names. But that didn’t change Him from being Jesus Christ. So,you have to be called many names. But the main thing is, who you are in earnest. Or, what you represent that matters. It’s not what people call you. You know, I have said this in many forums…one of our judges in court, when he wanted to deliver one judgement said that we’re two kinds of people on earth: the ones we are in the day, and the ones we are at night. And now, this perception of being two kinds returns back to being who we really are. Are we really the ones they see by day? Or, we’re the ones that are figured at night? And it’s only you that can answer that question. That’s what the Lord said, because it’s only you that knows who you are at the end of the day. Only you! So, for me I know that I am a very loyal, consistent, submissive, patient follower of the Governor. There’s no compromise. People have come to me and said, ‘the way we’re seeing you, you should prepare and contest for House of Representatives.’ Some of them don’t know that the man in the House of Reps is my direct uncle. Some of them don’t know. But now because people’s political point is just sit down, analyse, project who should run what and become what. And I told them I have no aspiration whatsoever. The only election I’ve contested in is the Governorship. They say how. Or, you want to contest against the Governor? I say that the moment the Governor is contesting an election, that’s the election I’m contesting in. I cannot contest any election when the Governor is contesting. I’m in that election, because the Governor is in that election . Because, when the Governor wins the election we have all won. So, for me, my political presence, my political future as the case may be, is the Governor’s aspiration. There’s no other interest that anybody will be anything in Cross River State moving forward. I had to look at the body chemistry of His Excellency. He is not someone that imposes leaders on people. He always bend to where the majority interest is bending to. So, for me, when we see where he bends to, we will now join that bend. We don’t have any political ambition than the Governor’s ambition. Because, when the Governor finishes his tenure as Governor, by God’s grace in eight years, we’ll be in trouble of who should take over from the Governor. Because of the kind of Governor that we have. When the Governor stood up for House of Reps, it records that the shoes he left could not be worn, till date, I challenge them till date. The shoes Senator Prince Bassey Otu left in the Senate had not been worn till day. The indices are there. While the House of Reps member that was Chairman of Petroleum off stream, I know you understand what petroleum off stream meant as at 2006/07. While the Senator that was Chairman Finance, and later Banking and other financial institutions. I hope you know what that means. And that was a man that came from a minority. And today we have him on that front role. Today we have him as a Governor. The only Governor that has been able to sustain democratic gains. His Excellency has tampered with what Donald Duke brought, that were seemingly not functional. They’re now coming back to life. If you step into Marina Resort, maybe you’ve not been there for a while, I charge you to go there any of these days. You will not understand what is going on in Marina Resort. That was birthed by Donald Duke, which the Governor today has taken it back to where it ought to be. You go to the International Conference Centre birthed by Liyel Imoke. After the Pandemic, End SARS, the International Conference Centre, the entire Hope Waddell in the whole world was hosted there. We used to have four events simultaneously going on in the International Conference Centre. It’s begining to now function optimally because of the Governor’s intervention. Today the Governor also has another office where he operates from inside the Conference Centre. Sometimes if you don’t see him here that means he is in the other office.
You are aware of the monies that this state government invested in industries during Prof. Ben Ayade era, our tax payers monies. We had a lot of industries, some were completely in a state of comatose, having had a lot of investments. And the Governor had not abandoned those projects. Today life is being breathed back in most of the industries. Because we have a Governor that has standard. A Governor that is interested in ensuring that he creates wealth. Our internally generated revenue -you are aware- is on the increase. Before now investors -if you look around you could see that even the state capital has begun to witness some new edifices. They were no more there. Meanwhile, companies are beginning to comeback. Investors are beginning to come forth and are confident that they can bring back their resources. Because even the security architecture has been recreated. So, for me, we have a Governor that is living up to expectation. And a Governor that is building a momentum that will be difficult to sustain.
Question: The industries in the industrial zone, can you give examples of some of them?
Ans:
Yes, we have a lot of industries that were not functioning. We met Calachika, the pharmaceutical etc. We’ve been following up a lot on some of those processes, and we have discovered that there were some inadequacies in the cause of the foundations of these facilities. So, His Excellency is taking his time to ensure that there were completely ours. In the coming days those things will function optimally. Look at what the Garment Factory ought to have been, which was never. Those things are works-in-progress. And I don’t want to begin to speak on specifics, but I know that the Governor has taken over from wherever they were left. By next year, we’ll go back there. Some structures are being rebuilt, if you go back there some structures are being built. There’s been some level of overhaul in some of the structures that were there, and that were not optimally functioning . And most of them too, some of the machines that were there requires some other machines. So, there are some technical and expert briefings that we’re having that will enable us to have those industries functioning. But I can tell you for free that there is no industry that is of Cross River, that Senator Ayade brought that we have not been able to go into the root of it, and also see how they could be productive for the State. For instance, if you go to the Airport, the Cargo Airport- you’ll agree with me that what we have done today, that Airport can compete with any Airport in the whole world. But, when Ayade started that Airport many did not understand. But it took His Excellency, the Governor to sit on that Airport and taking it to where it ought to be, by attracting the relevant authorities, and the best hands globally to take over the activities that will birth the proper -the standard of airport that we deserve.
Question: The governor in his last briefing with us said he was going to take us there, maybe you will handle that.
Ans:
Yes, yes, it’s wonderful. And in the coming days too, the issue of CaliAir, our aircrafts will be on ground, in the coming days. So, for me the Governor has a lof that will be made public in our second anniversary.
Question: You talked about Tinapa, can you add it to that?
Ans:
Like we said, we were battling with the ownership of Tinapa, you’re aware, talk about AMCON. Today, we can beat our chests and say that Tinapa belongs to Cross River. And that’s a mean feat. So, for me, these are the kind of achievements the Governor is having. Achievements that will be recovering what we have seemingly lost as a state. Because those inverstments -like someone was trying to criticize the Governor that he is going around building buildings, nothing that he is building for himself. You walk into the Governor’s office today, you’ll be proud that we have that kind of Governor’s office in the city of Calabar. It is ‘Governor’s Office’. And we’ve had several governors before, and we’re going to have many governors after this Governor. So, why are we worried. It’s not Prince Otu’s office, it’s Governor’s office. It’s Governor’s lodge! It’s Deputy Governor’s lodge! It’s Speaker’s lodge! Not Akiba’s lodge! You go to Ogoja, we have the Governor’s lodge ongoing. As at last week we were in the North. We visited there with the Chief-of-Staff, and the Deputy Speaker. The job is ongoing day and night. And up till today -yes, at the the lodge, at the Governor’s lodge Ogoja.
Question: Are you taking us back to the days of the military.?
Ans:
Barr Akiba explains that, so the Governor can operate from the senatorial zones. In the north today, the structure we had there was completely demolished. In fact, it was nothing to write home about. So, we’re building from foundation. And if you go there today, in a couple of months, you could see the impact of His Excellency. I don’t want to even talk about roads that today we agree that when you say he is Mr. Infrastructure, it’s not just about economic infrastructure. We’re talking about physical road infrastructure. If the Governor could go to Adiabo road, that even the Federal Government had abandoned, if the Governor can go to *Ugele road, you’re aware of the *Akamkpa road that houses the Port, you will be amazed.
