Cross River: Commends Presbyterian Church for State’s development (4/6/08)

The Presbyterian Church has been commended for playing a great role in the development of Cross River State and its citizens.

Governor Liyel Imoke stated this while receiving the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church, Rt. Rev. Dr Ubon Bassey Usung on Tuesday, stressing that its role in the past and present has transformed the society.

Imoke said what the church and government are doing are related and both should see themselves as partners whose actions when translated, mean well for well being of the people, adding that government intends to include missionary schools in its efforts to rehabilitate 400 primary and 250 post primary schools across the state as quality of schools have fallen below standard.

The Governor disclosed that government would complement the effort of the Presbyterian Church in running its schools as it intends to work with the church in identifying the schools for rehabilitation to achieve success in that direction, assuring that their request for the return of their primary schools currently under the control of the State will be looked into.

Though he frowned at sponsors of communal conflicts, he said government has put in place three agencies to attend to the needs of rural persons including those affected by the conflicts as well as check rural-urban drift, adding that while government intends to construct 390 kilometer rural roads across the state in phase one, it will also undertake renovation of schools and hospitals while the state Border Community Commission has also earmarked some programmes for border communities especially those in rural areas.

On the fate of the riverine communities, Imoke disclosed that in order to revitalize riverine transportation, ferry points, jetties and pontoons have been earmarked for rehabilitation to encourage transportation of persons and farm produce.

The Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church, Rev Dr Ubon Bassey Usung, who is currently on tour of Calabar Synod in the Southern Senatorial District, reaffirmed the Church’s contribution to the growth of the state, adding that having gone round the state, he had seen joy on the faces of the people as a basis for improvement on structure and infrastructure as initiated by Imoke and it represents a milestone in the sands of time which prosperity will remember him.

Usung commended Imoke for initiating a Conflict Resolution Committee to tackle Communal related issues while calling for government’s intervention in the rehabilitation of schools hospitals and other infrastructure.

He called on government to implement the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) which was signed by the duo on the provision of a yearly grant to schools which were handed back to missionaries as well as requested that government hands over four primary schools in Calabar back to the church.

The clergy also requested for the release of piece of land which was given to the church by erstwhile Governor of the state, Mr. Donald Duke while pledging the church’s posture to contribute its quota to the development of the state and its citizenry.

Government House Press