Gov.Ben Ayade of Cross River State handed over a housing estate to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Bakassi LGA

During the handing over proper yesterday, Sir Ben Ayade said:
“My first tears for the people of Bakassi was when I was a senator on the floor of the Nigerian Senate which prompted me to push for a bill which went through second reading and fourth for the establishment of social housing and provision of housing as a right. Section 14 Sub section 2 of our constitution provides for the welfare and security of your citizens as the primary purpose of Government.

Today is not just about the joy to the people of Bakassi it is the supremacy of the governance of a sensitive people over the failure of the federal government to be responsible for the pain of the people of Bakassi.

The ceding of Bakassi did not follow any legal authority. It is inconsistent with the provisions of our constitution because the Constitution is very clear that for you to cede any territory of Nigeria you must have a proper plebiscite, you must have the domestication of such ceding and ratified by the National Assembly. Until you do so whatever you have done is null and void

By resettling the returnees in decent houses, their misery has come to an end.

This is the first social housing in Africa in absolute terms where the ownership is in perpetuity where the property is theirs to keep forever. We will continue to expand it, it is not enough to provide them housing because this is not shelter, this is housing it has amenities it has power, it has water it has all the utilities you will need, it has solar lighting, it has the generator and the 3rd grid which is the national grid. We have acquired boats which are by the water side to enable them do fishing for those who can fish.

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We have also made provisions for a take off grant of 50 million Naira to support all those who live at the estate and want to start small businesses. And the good news is that I have no elections to run so you can see clearly this is not politics, it is from my heart. I call on the people of Bakassi to be strong because their kids will grow to become leaders someday and when they grow they will do much more than I have did for them today”.

What brought tears to my eyes was when Sir Ben Ayade humbled himself to the extent of embracing this abandoned old women and went ahead to eat from the same plate of food with them.

Of a truth, Sir Ben Ayade is a special breed in this generation and a brand that must be protected.

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