By Nsan Ndoma-Neji, Calabar
Ahead of the August 1, 2024 planned protest, the Cross River State government has appealed to youths of the state not to participate in the protest, which it said would have devastating impact on the economy of the state.
Otu made the appeal while interacting with over 500 stakeholders in the entertainment industry at the Enterprise Development Hall on Monday in Calabar.
During the engagement, some of the stakeholders expressed their resolve to join the protest, citing difficulty at work, low or no salaries, unemployment and high cost of living.
Representing the Cross River State governor, Bassey Otu, the Special Adviser to the governor on General Duties, Barr Ekpeyong Akiba, while giving insight on the issue, stated, “As a state we had a terrible experience during the #EndSARS protest in 2020 and we don’t want that affliction to arise the second time, considering side-by-side the negative implications.”
On how the government intends to attend to the demands of the citizens, Akiba said, “Our modalities are very simple, we’re taking stock of the problems of Cross River people; the ceding of Bakassi, the equitable distribution of resources, increased revenue for Cross River, plus local and foreign interventions by way of investments, infrastructure and employment.
“We’re seeking a platform where people’s challenges are met generally; in terms of health, security, education, road infrastructure and employment. Yes there’s hunger and insecurity, but as a government, we’re deliberately working on measures to assuage hardship in Cross River State.”
Also, the state Commissioner for Information, Dr. Erasmos Ekpeyong, said, “Cross River State has a phobia for protests because we’re the worst hit, during the 2020 #EndSARS protest.”
Former Commissioner for Tourism, Erick Anderson, regretted that, “73 properties, estimated at the cost of N63 billion were destroyed during the 2020 #EndSARS protest, and we are yet to recovered, despite numerous efforts.”
The August 1 to 10, 2024 protest, according to state actors will not solve the problems of the country. Although some advocated that the Federal Government should return the fuel subsidy, and bring down the price of fuel, they encouraged the Federal Government to support entertainers by providing facilities necessary for their job.
