Bill On Passengers’ Manifest In Cross River Would Soon Be Ready, Says Lawmaker, Agbor

Hon. Ovat Agbor, represent Obubra 1 state constituency in the House of Assembly. In this interview with THE BEAGLE NEWS team of Ekanem ASUQUO, Judex OKORO and Missang AKPET, he said a bill on passengers’ manifest in Cross River state would soon be ready. According to him, passengers’ manifest, a document containing data of those moving from one place to another, would aid security agencies in curbing crime and criminality because movement of people through public transportation is documented. Agbor among others proffered solution on the intractable communal clashes in Obubra local government area.

Excerpts... 

Contributions in the House

I am here to make sure I do my primary assignment, which is primary to make laws that reflect the yearnings and aspirations of my constituents, oversight function among others. And to the best of my ability, I am living up to that expectation. So far, I have contributed to about eight motions in the last one year. I am sponsoring a bill, which has passed through first reading, hoping that as soon as we are back from recess, it will pass through the other processes and be passed into law. I have also co-sponsored so many bills and motions, all with the view to better the lots of Cross Riverians.

Presently, I am sponsoring a bill about passengers’ manifest. Passengers’ manifest is a document containing data of those moving from one place to another. It will aid security agencies in curbing crime and criminality because movement of people through public transportation is documented. The state ought to have such a functional system. Cross River government should have a passenger manifest showing information on movement of people in and out of the state whether by land or water. It will greatly address the issue of kidnapping, human trafficking and other crimes seen on our transportation system. The transport workers and road safety officials would find it extremely important.

My consciousness passengers’ manifest stems from my experience with numerous business establishments outside home at a very tender age. I left home after secondary school, at 17, got a job with Coca-Cola, transferred from Ogoja to Enugu, and that marked the beginning of my sojourn. My experience in the southeast greatly broadened my consciousness about security, coupled with my academic background in psychology, and recently, postgraduate studies in social works.

 Challenges as a legislator

The major challenge before us is that we are trying to see how the present administration can live up to expectations. More importantly, looking at what the governor is doing in terms of infrastructural intervention is marvelous. The last sixteen years have been very challenging; and made worst with the state stripped of its over 70 oil wells and given to neighboring Akwa Ibom. Federal allocation to the state is almost the least. So after payment of salaries and cost of governance, government is almost left with nothing. Quite frankly, I don't know how Governor Bassey Otu is doing with such massive infrastructural development in the state. If all past leaders had done something similar to what Otu has done in one year, then Cross River would have been better for it. My pleasure now is that focus should also be directed at the grassroots level, especially opening up access roads in our local communities. Governor Otu is trying his best to return Cross River state to its glory days. That has been the main challenge of the present administration. As a legislature, we are supporting the executive the best way we can to ensure that the dividends of democracy are brought to the people to match up with the administration's 'People First' mantra. The governor is going out of his way to ensure that the state is improved upon in various sectors. And I commend him for that, and urge to do even better. As a legislator, the current economic situation of the country has left us with too many challenges. They range from healthcare, education, agriculture support, welfare and lots more. Nobody wants to listen to the constraints of a legislator. But we'll continue to do our best for our constituents.

Impact of your bills and motions on the constituents

It has been great. The governor, having been a legislator himself has enhanced the symbiotic relationship between the executive and other arms of government. For instance, during the outbreak of Lassa fever in my constituency, I moved a motion on the situation, and the governor acted swiftly, with the Ministry of Health mobilizing emergency response team to arrest the situation. I also moved a motion on the water situation in Obubra LGA. The government, again, responded swiftly by directing the water resources ministry to immediately fix the situation. As I speak, repairs to broken water pipes, power restoration to enable water supply, etc, are being taken care of. The State Government is also making effort to address the damage done by the rainstorm that left some communities in Obubra ravaged. The state emergency management agency and the Director General of state electrification agency have been there, doing their best to restore power and even get palliative support from the federal government. The 50 electric poles destroyed by the windstorm are going to be replaced. The governor is doing everything to fix the power situation as the communities being in perpetual blackout since April 2, 2024.

Lasting solution to the perennial problems of communal clashes in Obubra local government area

In my opinion, if government begins to hold community leaders responsible for clashes between one community and the other, I think it will address this whole problem. Traditional rulers and other leaders in those communities would want to arrest whatever war situation that attempts to rear its head, if government reads the riots act. If these people are not brought to book, these problems will never end, because most of these issues are caused by them.

Something drastic should be done to forestall future occurrences. When a perpetrator is brought to book, it will serve as a deterrent to others. But if you bring it to the public glare, the people would tag you an enemy. A prime example was when two communities in my constituency were embroiled in disputes, I went to political leaders, traditional and youth leaders of both communities, threatened to arrest them should there be any breakdown of law and order. Automatically, that matter died a natural dead. Today, there's peace among the communities.

Obubra agitating for senatorial lost as the only LGA yet to produce a Senator in the central senatorial district, albeit being one of the oldest

It is worrisome that Obubra is the only LGA in the central yet to occupy the position of the Senate. If you look at natural justice, Obubra should be treated fairly. It is unfair that Obubra being the colonial headquarters of all the entire central senatorial district, up to Afikpo in Ebonyi state, has been so marginalised, and relegated to the background politically. I believe that the time for Obubra is ripe. With the APC the ruling party both at the national and state levels, Obubra stands in good stead to stake a claim and reclaim its pride of place in the political scheme of things.