Calabar—Cross River State governor, Professor Ben Ayade, has lauded the acting Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NNDC, Mrs. Ibim Semenatari, for what he described as her pragmatic interventions in some deplorable federal roads and other projects in the state.

Governor Ayade also lauded President Muhammadu Buhari for nominating Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba as the chairman of the NDDC board, describing the former senate leader as one of Cross River’s finest.

Ayade, speaking, when the NNDC MD paid him a courtesy call in Calabar, while on an inspection tour of the commission’s projects in the state, said: “The greatest tourism potential in the country, the Obudu cattle Ranch is today cut off completely due to bad roads, just as our cable cars lay prostrate because of lack of access.

”But for your intervention, the 2016 Carnival would have been a disaster because nobody would want to come to Calabar due to the deplorable state of the roads.”

“You have demonstrated that women can deliver on their duties and touch even many more lives and for this reason, our carnival torch which signifies the commencement of Calabar Festival will be lit by you as a mark of honour.”

The governor, while praising Buhari for the appointment of Senator Ndoma-Egba and Mr. Nsima Ekere as the next chairman and managing director of NDDC respectively, however appealed that Semenitari be considered for higher responsibility.

He added that she has acquitted herself as acting Managing Director of NNDC.