Otu Deepening Poverty By Strangulating LGs, Says Jarvis

By Missang AKPET

PDP Governorship Candidate in Cross River State, Sir Arthur Jarvis Archibong, has accused the administration of Governor Bassey Edet Otu of deliberately strangulating Local Governments and promoting deep-rooted rural poverty across the state.

But the Special Adviser and Chief Press's Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Linus Obogo, has lashes out at Jarvis, saying he is out of touch with happenings in the state. He rather advised the PDP factional Governorship candidate to to and pay his tax indebtedness and stop Crying wolf. 

Briefing newsmen at the Ernest Etim Bassey Press Center in Calabar on Wednesday, Archibong said Local Governments that are legally and structurally designed to reduce rural poverty have been practically handcuffed and choked by a state government that recklessly ambushes their funds on a permanent basis.

This according to him happens even after the Supreme Court's judgement on the independence of the local government and the stern warning to Governors by Mr President to implement the judgement for the autonomy of the Local Governments in Nigeria.

According to him, the consequence is that Local Governments remain stagnated and completely unable to perform their constitutionally designated functions.

"In this situation, rural electrification, feeder roads for our farmers, Local businesses, community health centers and basic quality of lives of our rural dwellers have suffered a huge set back and naked poverty".

 "All these have completely destroyed the remaining hopes of our people who are now suppressed under the weight of a government that serially pretends to live it's mantra of putting the people first."

The governorship aspirant said the Otu administration is near zero on the issue of empathy, passion and commitment to the real yearning and aspirations of the broad generality of the people of Cross River State.

He accused the governor of abandoning the rest of the state and concentrating governance in the capital city.

"This Governor runs a government focused only on the state capital. Since assuming office three years ago, the Governor has confined governance only to Calabar. The Governor is clearly the Governor of Cross River, and not the Governor of Calabar but he has simply chosen to isolate wittingly, the people of Central and Northern Cross River" Jarvis lamented 

He however stressed that the people of Cross River State, deserve good and purposeful governance adding that a State Governor must be physically, mentally and emotionally prepared for the job of chief servant of the state before vying for one.

Speaking on the allegation of Authur Jarvis University owing taxes running into millions, the PDP candidate, who is also proprietor of the University, said the institution has received "no assistance, whether in the form of vehicles, lights, transformers, grants" from the state government in the last 4 years of it's existence.  

"When you see what happens in other states, you will understand what private universities benefit, there is hardly any university in the West that has not been supported by the government," he said.

He stressed categorically that Arthur Jarvis University is up to date with their taxes with the government of Cross River State. 

"For purpose of clarity, Arthur Jarvis University is up to date with their taxes. But as I've heard, the government has closed down so many businesses in the state because of tax. We maybe the next to be closed down. I will help them to close down that institution and open it up when we have won the election."

Reacting, the Special Adviser and Chief Press's Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Linus Obogo, said: "There's no doubt that Arthur Jarvis is definitely out of touch with happenings in the state not to know that just last week, Governor Otu’s administration unveiled a historic Public-Private Partnership (PPP) investment package valued at US$1.075 billion and ₦70 billion following the approval of sixteen transformative projects by the State Executive Council (ExCo).

"The Otu’s administration has also attracted a funding an AFDB facility to the tune of $3.5bn for the Bakassi Deep Seaport. These are not products of sedentary efforts. 

"Let him be told that every serious government whose desirous driving investments into the state, would sit in his house or office and expect investors or investments to come rolling in. 

"Arthur Jarvis should thank the governor for bringing peace and stability to his university. Until the advent of Governor Otu's administration, Arthur Jarvis University was a den of kidnappers, with parents threatening to withdraw their wards from the institution. Today. The school is enjoying seamless and uninterrupted academic sessions. He should not reduce everything to politics. Therefore, to alleged that the Governor is never in the state. That is not true"

On taxation, Obogo disclosed that Arthur Jarvis University owes the state government backlogs of taxes, adding that the school has been formally given an opportunity to respond to the tax issues with regard to some disputed figures. 

According the SA/CPS , "rather than resolving the tax issues with the relevant tax authorities, the factional PDP candidate is embarking on media propaganda and accusing the government of alleged threat to close his university."

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