Cross River State
Following the victory at the May 30 Government Council election in Cross River State on Tuesday, elected Local Government Council Chairmen and their Deputies who won, denounced secret cults while being sworn in by Governor Ben Ayade in Calabar.
In the course of the ceremony which took place at the Executive Council Chamber of the Governor’s Office, the Governor urged the newly elected chairmen and their deputies engender growth in their local government areas.
Ben Ayade told them that the state had set aside N11.3 bn for the councils to enable them to hit the ground running immediately they assume office.
Stating that they should always be on ground in their LGAs and not in Calabar, adding that they were not elected to be in Calabar but in their LGA to enhance development.
While he pursued the major huge projects in the state, He said that he needs them as chairmen to start looking at small projects in their LGAs like provision of boreholes, streetlights, and better security locally.
Revealing that he is not owing salaries and would not like to hear that they are owing salaries, he added that he would also not like to hear that councillors are coming to Calabar to report the chairmen to the Commissioner for LG Affairs.
The chairmen and 196 councillors received their certificates of return from the Chairman of the state Independent Electoral Commission, Dr Mike Ushie.
The new chairmen and their vice emerged victorious under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in last Saturday’s council polls which the party is cleared the entire 18 councils areas and also produced all councillors.
The Cross River State governor further advised the chairmen to work harmoniously with their councillors so as to effectively serve the people as, urging them to work in consonance with their councillors.
Maintain that there must not be a divided house. Therefore, they must work harmoniously with the councillors so that together they will serve the people effectively.
Speaking after the swearing in, Ayade urged the council Chairmen to avoid unnecessary trips outside their councils, harping on the need for them to stay back home and work for their people.