The outcome of investigations carried out by www.calitown.com has revealed that Cross River State governor, Ben Ayade, has not fulfilled any of the widely publicized promises made to the West African Examinations Council, WAEC, in the aftermath of the unfortunate looting and burning of WAEC’s Calabar Office during the recent nationwide protests.
Gov. Ayade who visited the office shortly after the incident, was loud in promising to immediately provide WAEC with an alternative office including two Toyota Hilux vehicles for operations. He accordingly directed Godwin Amanke, CRS Commissioner for Education, to look for temporary alternative accommodation for WAEC. “I have given an instruction that an emergency accommodation be provided for WAEC and we are also providing you with two pick-up vehicles to enable you get back on your feet” he said. This directive is believed to have died on arrival as the governor has so far stalled on the release of funds for this purpose.
Sources inside WAEC further informed us that Calabar Branch Controller, Oladele Ezekiel, made serious, even frantic efforts to have these promises fulfilled but drew blanks on all fronts. He repeatedly visited Ayade’s Chief of Staff, Martin Orim, Education Commissioner, Godwin Amanke, wrote to the Speaker, CRSHA, Eteng Williams, on this matter but was serially frustrated. He and several top officials of WAEC are yet to come to terms with “the often loud promises of the governor, promises that are hardly met”, as one WAEC official put it. Contacted, Ezekiel confirmed this to be true but refused to make any other statement, directing us instead to his Head Office in Abuja.
Ayade on the same visit said, “…we will do everything we can because it is necessary for you to operate from here so that we can have quality examination, quality teaching and ensure that Cross Riverians also prosper…”, as he further tried to discourage WAEC from relocating her services and operations to Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, something WAEC has since done.
“Your governor can continue to lie to himself, WAEC clearly stated in the letter relocating us to Uyo that we can only return if the status quo ante is restored. He speaks plenty grammar and should easily understand what this means; but see, we are a regional body, too serious minded to sit down and believe the unserious pronouncements of a state governor whose docile people will bear the brunt of what has happened to our office. Let your governor continue saying things he doesn’t mean; weare praying for you people”, a WAEC source in Uyo, submitted.
