Prof. Ben Ayade, the Governor of Cross Rivers State has denied reports from some quarters that his administration had inherited an empty treasury from the previous administration.
The governor made this clear on Tuesday, June 30, 2015 during a briefing of stakeholders and newsmen about his developmental agenda for Cross Rivers State.
He said, “I did not inherit empty treasury but I inherited a great potential from my predecessor.”
Governor Ayade revealed plans to begin a mining corporation in the state as part of measures to be taken to tap into and properly utilise the abundant resources in the state. He said that the state through the mining corporation, the state would be able to put all its vast mineral resources to good use and would establish its own cement and quarry company.
He said; “This will help us to source the needed raw materials for the construction of the proposed Calabar seaport and construct a 240km superhighway from Calabar to Obudu.
“It will reduce the cost of the projects and make it realisable.”
He further said that his administration were working in order to create and ensure an efficient revenue generating system for the state. He condemned the present system of revenue collection where the state used consultants to collect its revenues saying that the system was unacceptable and crude for a modern society.
“I believe we can generate revenue through wealth creation for the citizens,” he said.
He reiterated the fact that government owed a duty to its citizens to provide them with basic necessary amenities so as to justify the collection of taxes from them. He asserted that if properly handled, the state’s economy had the prospects of being Nigeria’s biggest and best economy.
He revealed that the Obudu Mountain Resort would need a facelift so as to ensure that its more functional and attractive to tourists. He maintained that the proposed super highway expected to stop at the Obudu Resort, would go a long way in raising the status of the resort and resources of the state.
