The senator representing Cross River Central Senatorial District in Nigeria’s Senate, Eteng Williams, has assured Cross Riverians that the clearly defined working relationship in place between himself, Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe, representing CR North Senatorial District and Asuquo Ekpenyong, who represents CR South Senatorial District, is poised to change the face of political representation in the state.
Williams who stated this as guest on “The Public View”, the flagship Saturday morning news and current affairs programme on HIT 95.9 FM, Calabar, further maintained that this relationship will help them secure employment and allied opportunities for several young, skilled and promising Cross Riverians who are increasingly becoming frustrated with the present near absence of job opportunities to accommodate them.
“We are not just sitting here in Abuja, we have collectively been working as a team to identify and secure opportunities for our people. Of course you need to understand that at this level, we are not talking from our respective political party points of view, we are a team, pursuing the clear rubrics of governance and how opportunities that may have eluded our people in the past will be consciously secured for them. I chair the Senate Committee on Upstream Petroleum and in this short time, I have noticed in my interactions in the course of my functions, even a negligible number of Cross Riverians are not employed in this sector, it is a narrative that must change, not violently, but we who represent other Cross Riverians must work with a deliberate plan to expose our people to jobs in this sector. The domino effect of doing this is better imagined”, he said.
On the deplorable state of all federal roads in the state, the senator informed that, “I have made very clear representations in writing and in person on the condition of federal roads in CRS to Works minister, David Umahi, who incidentally is in CRS as we speak and I have received assurances, that will be followed up to ensure that something is visibly done to ameliorate the sufferings of commuters on these roads.”
Pressed to explain if he has a legislative agenda that should serve as a road map for the representation of his constituents, he answered in the affirmative, going on to outline an agenda he said is anchored on ten points which he believes will enhance quality representation of his people.
On the issue of the demise of indigent former Senate President, Joseph Wayas and the fact that several months after his demise, no national and state arrangements appear to be in place to bury him, Williams explained that he has had private consultations with Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, on this issue and has received concrete assurances that the Senate will resolutely wade into the matter, working with the CRS government and Wayas’ family, so that the deceased will finally be laid to rest