IN the words of Anon, ‘Ordinary people think of spending time: Great people think of using it.’ Isak Dineson summed up his own words of winning this way: ‘don’t count every hour in a day; make every hour in the day count.’

These two great sayings, although they have outlived decades, are still relevant in describing the tenure Senator Liyel Imoke had spent in office as Governor of the State. No doubt, it was eventful, full of activities and life. Indeed, Senator Imoke didn’t just spend the time: He used it.

This no doubt accounts for the loads of calls he has been receiving from Cross Riverians  from all walks of life- across languages, communities, interest groups, political parties and professions to re-contest the gubernatorial election this month and continue with the transformation he has initiated since 2007.

It was huge shock for the people when the Supreme Court last week ended the tenure of five governors, including their own governor, Senator Imoke. To them, it was a temporary setback, but not to the extent that it washed away what has been achieved by the administration, beginning from manpower to infrastructural development across sectors such as  health, education, tourism, rural roads and electrification, science and technology, agriculture, women development, job creation and Information Communication Technology.

All and particularly those, often described as common man, is now able to access and afford education for himself and children; health facilities for himself, children and pregnant wife, roads to travel and transport his farm produce and agricultural inputs to improve farm production necessary to boost his income and daily feeding.

In the area of education, about 60 Secondary Schools across the 18 Local Government Areas have so far been comprehensively renovated and are now equipped with standard science and computer laboratories and libraries where students can now  find books that are simultaneously being read by their counterparts in other parts of the world, to help them appreciate subjects and careers they consider difficult.

In health, several General Hospitals and health care centres, among whom are the ones in Igbo Imabana II, Abi Local Government Area, Ugboro-Ijibo in Bekwarra, Ipene in Biase, Oku-Bushuyu in Boki, College of Health Technology, Calabar, Okoroba in Etung, Ketting in Obanliku, Ofiorti Okpitumo in Obubra, Ukprinyi in Obudu, Mbube West 11 Odaje in Ogoja and Ijiaraga and Wanikade in Yala local Government area, whose renovation and construction have been completed by the administration. Several others across Local Governments in the State are either undergoing renovation or construction.

On infrastructure, such as road construction and reconstruction, the State Government through Rural Development Agency (RUDA) has so  far completed  no fewer than 11 rural roads, while about 18 of them are ongoing, and another 474 kilometres of roads covering 29 across rural communities in 17 Local Government Areas are being handled by the State Ministry of Works under the Cross River Rural Access and Mobility project (CR-RAMP). A good number of them have been completed and were to be commissioned before the Supreme Court judgement.

On power supply, which is a component of the State 7-point agenda, aimed at providing and sustaining infrastructure, over 167 rural communities in the State are now benefitting from electricity and solar power boreholes. A good number of them also now have standard boreholes that generate potable water for drinking and  industrial use. These communities include Ngoli/Iyagor and Eteweh electricity projects and installation of solar and boreholes in Imabana and Ekureku in Abi Local Government Area; electricity in Awi to Mbarakom, Nsan/Obun, Okomita, Federal Housing and Iwuru, solar in Government Secondary School, Akamkpa, Iwuru Central and Iko Esai, as well as the drilling of boreholes in Iwuru Central, Iko Esai and Mfamosing, all in Akamkpa Local Government Area.

Other communities also benefitting from electricity provided by Imoke’s administration include Idundu, Asanka, boreholes in Atimbo East, Ikot Ekpo, Akansoko, Ikot Edem Odo Secondary School, Government Comprehensive High School, Akwa, Ikot Effiom, Esuk Mba and Esuk Ewa in Akpabuyo Local Government Area. Solar has been installed in parts of the Area where boreholes have been drilled.

At Bakassi, Nsidung/Ikot Adiaha has now been electrified while Ikot Inwang has been provided with alternative solar energy. At Bekwarra, Ijibor, Owala/Bewo, Abuagbor and Nichogodo communities can now boast of electricity, courtesy of the Imoke’s administration, while Bekwarra Secondary School, Abuochiche now has both solar and borehole, with boreholes now in Ubiba, Ochagbe and Abukpem(Gakem).

Mr. OTEI OHAM a public affairs analyst, wrote from Calabar, Cross River State.