By Lawrence Mpama
The Mayor of Calabar and Chairman Calabar Municipality, Apostle James Anam, has reiterated the need for team work among officials of his council if meaning development is to be achieved
Apostle Anam made the call when he received in audience members of the College of veteran journalists, led by publisher of Glimmer Newspaper, Charles Eniang, in his temporary office on a day he inaugurated his large number of appointed officers to help the administration.
According to him, the call has become necessary in view of the large number of officers being appointed at the various local government areas across the state, to provide expertise and assists the elected officials for effective collaboration to bring development at the grassroot.
The chairman welcomed the senior citizen of the pen profession to his office, and thanked them for coming on a day like this that he is inaugurating his large Exco, while appreciating them also for their patience, attesting to the fact that, the caliber of persons here are real veterans, those that have made their marks and names in the field of journalism in Nigeria.
He acknowledged the fact that nearly everyone in the college is known to him, “there’s nobody I don’t know here. Maybe likely it’s the retired permanent secretary, all other faces are the people l have dealt with.” The chairman of the Forum rightly said that I am a friend and a comrade of the college from time before now, even when the Glimmer Newspaper was established, I was part and parcel of the paper. I am a participatory player. But I know that when we started to get our funds from the Ministry of local government and all of that, we will do our services.”
The Mayor expressed disappointment with the state of affairs in the council, stating that when he came in a few days after his swearing in as Chairman, what they told him is true about the decay in the council. He expressed his intentions and readiness to tackle the issues headlong. “There are a lot of things we intend to do as a government”. He declares.
“Our health centers are destroyed. Our schools are vandalized. Our markets are not in good shape. So we intend to do the things that will touch the common men. We have started by setting up committees, the committees that we set up, have gone into all the health centers in Calabar Municipality. We’ve gone to primary schools.
We’ve gone to all government structures that are not in use for many years to see what we can do to bring life. We intend to touch markets too”
Apostle Anam stated that “his election and swearing in as chairman of Calabar Municipality is by the Special Grace of God, and you see the way my campaigns were tapped, Ubing Abasi Anam, it is just the hands of God that have made it possible. I didn’t believe that I would be here, but it was already written in heaven that one day sometime, I will be back to the Council that I have served several years back.”
The Chairman continued, “In 2001, I was a Special Advisor on Revenue Mobilization at this Council during the era of late Ntufam Edet Okon Asim, In the year 2007, I came back to this Council as a Counselor. I’ve been around, and little did I know that in 2024, I will mount the seat at the City of Calabar. I see God’s providence proving himself as he had written, and it has come to pass”.
The Senior Citizens of the pen profession praised the chairman for starting on a good stead by carrying everyone along, and advised him to be focused on delivering the dividends of democracy to his constituents. They drew his attention to the fact that being the mayor of Calabar where the seat of the state government is, much is expected of him.
Among the members of college of veteran journalists were, Charles Eniang, Anietie Akpan, Emmanuel Akpong, Lawrence Mpama, Florence Oluoha and Isoni Isoni
