1ST ANNIVERSARY: Recounting Chief Victor Felix Idem's Reformation Strides in One Year of Office as Commissioner MLGA
Ekanem ASUQUO
Recounting one year in office as the Honorable Commissioner, Ministry of Local Government Affairs, one can only marvel at the excellent strides of Chief Victor Felix Idem.
Upon resumption of office on the 16th of August, 2023, Chief Idem hit the ground running, bringing to bear his wealth of experience as a distinguished entrepreneur and outstanding technocrat.
Under his excellent watch of the 18 Local Government Areas of Cross River State, Chief Idem achieved the following feats:
Provided an enabling environment for rural dwellers of the state as part of sustaining the People's First Agenda.
Developed the 18 Local government councils of the State ranging from infrastructure, and rehabilitation of roads to ease transportation such as Alifokpa road in the Yala local government area amongst others.
Renovated the vandalized Bakassi and Akpabuyo Councils Secretariat occasioned by the END SARS Protest of 2020.
Renovated Traditional Rulers Council Chambers across various local government councils.
Installed Solar lights in various local government councils.
Drilled Boreholes in councils without water supply.
Provided Internet Service for ease of communication in local government councils across the state.
Integrated and centralized the Local government payroll system to bring sanity and ease of transitioning from active service to retirement payroll.
In this regard, all new retirees seamlessly receive their pension and emoluments without any consequence of nonpayment of pension as when due.
Transformed the status quo of councils' revenue collection and remittance into inappropriate quarters to government coffers which has boosted the Internally Generated Revenue of the state thereby enhancing federal allocation, productivity, and infrastructural development.
Improved all local council's sustainability and Inclusiveness.
Fulfilled counterpart funding requirements of the Federal Rural Electrification Agency (REA) to provide a mini-grid power supply to rural communities in the state.
Improved the micro-economy of the state through increased productivity in the agricultural subsector of rural communities.
Enhanced energy and food security in the state.
Restored power supply in Odukpani and Akamkpa. The project is near completion.
Renovated abandoned Cross River State Local Government Service Commission Headquarters.
The project is near completion
Trained and retrained Local Government Council officials.
Spearheaded the ongoing completion works at the Local Government Service Commission Complex abandoned over 10 years ago.
This will ensure the relocation of the Local Government Service Commission from a rented apartment to its permanent premises at the New Secretariat since the Commission came into existence several decades ago.
Embarked on the monitoring and evaluation of activities of the 18 council areas through regular inspection of council projects, records, accounts, charts, and revenue generation.
These and many more achievements are a testament to Chief Idem's unrelenting commitment to the growth and development of the local government areas of Cross River State.
