By Nsan Ndoma-Neji, Calabar
The Chairman of Cross River State Privatization Council, John Odo, has debunked rumours making the rounds in some quarters that the 46 state-owned industries placed for sale is to be sold to aides and cronies of the state governor, Ben Ayade, insisting that the companies are to be sold to the general public.
Clearing the air while speaking with journalists shortly after inaugurating a seven-man Technical Committee at the Privatization Council Office at the state Housing Estate, in Calabar yesterday, Odo, who spoke after receiving the questionnaire sent out by the council to respondents to seek the peoples opinion regarding the sale of 46 industries owned by state government, said, “The enterprises will not be sold to cronies, otherwise we would not be bothered by the process.
“The essence of the questionnaire is to get the people involved and it is the brain child of the governor.
“The privatization law existed before the present administration and the governor is making a difference by involving the people of the state in the process through the questionnaire.
“He relinquished his powers to the people to determine the direction the state should go.”
The privatization council chairman stated that there were three modules in the questionnaire for the people to decide, stressing that 46 industries are listed for privatization exercise.
The chairman maintained that the questionnaire that were hitherto being distributed in all the 18 local government areas of Cross River State, trade associations, pressure groups, opinion moulders, trade associations, professional bodies, and notable Cross Riverians home and abroad via online platform to enable the people also make thier inputs on the matter.
However, the state Commerce Commissioner, Rosemary Archibong, who spoke on the issue, expressed joy over the approach used by the privatization council in dealing with the issues, stressing that she is happy with way and manner in which the issues were handled, commending the council for handling the exercise in a transparent manner.
Archibong called on residents of the state not to relent in involving themselves in the taking over of these industries, but be part of the process so that they won’t be left out in the ownership of these industries.
In his earlier remarks, Technical Adviser to Governor Ayade on Privatisation, Francis Ntamu, stated that if there was any matter in Cross River State that needed to be handled with care, it was privatization.
Ntamu stated that the present administration under the watch of Governor Ayade, inherited the state privatization law but decided to raise the bar by asking the council not to relent in seeking the people’s opinion on the matter, stressing that it was on the basis of that that the questionnaire were being distributed and collected back for interpretation and and probably analysis.
He stressed that the council thereafter decided to come up with a seven-man technical committee for report scrutinity.
According to the state chairman, the seven-man technical committee includes: Josephat Ogar, chairman, and Asim Ita as secretary, to work alongside a five man observer team.
