By Adeola Ogunlade
The Director-General of Restoration Grassroots Movement in APC, Cross River State, Dr Ndoma Odey, has said that the people’s welfare programmes of Cross River State Governor, Bassey Otu have given the people hope and they are ready to key into his manifestos.
Odey said this while playing host over the weekend to the Speaker of the Cross River, Rt Honourable Elvert Ayambem during a dinner in Lagos.
Odey, who ran for a seat in the state House of Assembly in 2022, said it was inevitable that Governor Otu enjoys such support given that it the governor makes governance people-oriented.
According to him, “If my Speaker is in Lagos, it’s incumbent on me to host him. Our people’s welfare-oriented governor, Bassey Otu, sent a high-powered team to Lagos to bring home and rehabilitate the weightlifting gold medalist, Bassey ‘Ironbar’ Etim.
“Governor Otu’s manifesto ‘The People’s Manifesto’ is a welcome call for every Cross Riverian to look inward and grow the state with. He has given us a lot of reasons to hope.
“Therefore, we have all keyed in — everyday Cross Riverian, experts and technocrats alike. We want to contribute to the development of our dear state. We are delighted, as a people, to be part of the governor’s agenda.
“So, it is not surprising that he sent a team down to Lagos to bring Etim back home to rehabilitate and empower him. It shows how committed the governor is.”
On how to easily get governance close to the people, Odey said: “I am an advocate of a fourth tier of government, where the grassroots is run by volunteers.
“These volunteers know the people intimately and will serve as a bridge between them and the government — a synergy between the high and the low. It will help policymaking and the execution of the actual project the people of a particular area need.
“I have sent a bill to the house to that effect. I always cite the Lagos example, where you have Local Council Development Areas, LCDA; Community Development Associations, and CDA. We can even have Community Development Councils, CDC.
These levels of organisations will help the people themselves get involved directly in governance. The government cannot do it all.”