2023: SDP ‘ll Make C-River Attractive To Investors – Guber Candidate
- Unveils 6-point development agenda
BY UBON EKANEM – The Social Democratic Party (SDP) has rolled out a six-point Development Agenda to save Cross River from collapsing and reposition it as a flourishing State going forward.
According to the party, coming into office in 2023, the Agenda will serve as its covenant with the people and would be fully implemented to make the state an Eldorado with little or no dependence on the usual monthly federal allocation.
Addressing journalists in Calabar, the State capital, the SDP Governorship candidate, Mr Effiom Okokon said the time of playing to the gallery in delivering democracy dividends to the people is long gone and Cross Riverians should no longer allow themselves to be taken for granted.
He explained that the Party produced the blueprint following its painstaking analysis of factors that over the years, have militated against development in the state despite its glaring abundant human and naturally endowed resources.
Mr Okokon, who spoke on the Party’s level of preparations for the upcoming general elections, regretted that in spite of nature’s kindly disposition towards the state through the availability of natural resources and a high level of human capital, Cross River State is yet to assume its rightful place in the comity of developed states of the country
He said most States, ranked as developed in the country, are not endowed with natural resources as Cross River and vowed to change the negative narrative when the SDP is eventually voted into power in the next election.
The SDP flag bearer took a swipe at the lack of conceptual approach toward developing the tourism potential of the state, noting that for now, it appears those in governance “are content with only the annual carnival campaign along major streets of the state capital to showcase costumes that are alien to our culture.”
According to him, the present arrangement is a sad commentary on the political and socio-economic development of Cross River state as it negates all conscious effort at developing the various natural tourist sites like Agbokim Waterfalls, Falls, Qua Falls, Ikom and Nkarasi monoliths among others.
Also, Okokon said with visionary planning and appropriate packaging for aesthetic attraction, these sites are in great positions to showcase the State’s tourism potential and further propel it as an irresistible global tourism destination.
The SDP flag bearer assured the people that there is a bright light of hope at the end of the tunnel if they are willing to embrace their destiny by giving the party a chance to do things differently and turn around the fortunes of the State.
He slammed the tax policy of the present administration in the state as part of the Neo-backward development indices that have only succeeded in forcing private companies which ordinarily would have been a variable corridor of engaging those who cannot secure employment in government establishments to relocate to other less endowed states.
Okokon therefore promised to overhaul the tax revenue sector to attract investors into the state if elected governor in 2023, describing it as the Heart Project to save the State, saying; “What is happening in Cross River is that money is not circulating. We need money to come into the state; this can be done through new investment opportunities.”
“So, what we are going to do is to ensure we reduce taxes so that companies can stay here and employ more people; then the money will start circulating”.
For him, the SDP is out to stop the impoverishment of Cross Riverians, make life worth living for them and ensure more money remains in the pockets of every citizen for the overall good of all.
