100 Days In Office: Dr Bassey Tom's Achievements So Far

DR BASSEY TOM HUNDRED (100) DAYS IN OFFICE, THE JOURNEY SO FAR.

The journey of Hon Dr Bassey Agara Tom in the leadership and administration of Obubra began on the 2nd of June 2020, when he was sworn into the revered office of the Executive Chairman of Council with his colleagues. Dr Bassey Tom's campaign mantra was "peaceful coexistence and development of Obubra".He promised to run a system of egalitarianism, operate an open door policies and adopt an all inclusive government where everyone will be given the opportunity to contribute to the general development of the Local Government.

On his assumption of office, he discovered the level of chaos and acrimony in the LGA, crises manifesting from different areas such as chieftaincy, land dispute, youth election related crises, communities rising against themselves, youth disparity and polarisation  etc. The people were in disarray especially the Osopong people who until now are stressed up by their neighbours who are bent on orchestrating hostility and sheer mayhem in the area.

It is palpable that the Chairman, Dr Bassey Tom met a wreckage for a Council. A Council full of bushes, a Council burgled and plundered and a Council totally denuded, defaced and deconstructed in all its ramifications. Obubra Local Government Area like every other Local Government in Cross River State was politically rudderless for a period not less than 5years. What it means is that people were left to their fate, no where to run to in times of distress, the people became more vulnerable than they should be. This let to crises of different magnitude, schisms, Cult related violence etc. In a nut shell, Dr Bassey Agara Tom met a Local Government of a conflictual identity. Today in just 100 days in office, the sterling leader has reshaped the Local Government and refurbished the Council.

Dr Bassey Agara Tom first met with the traditional rulers of all the communities in Obubra to rekindle the spirit of leadership, peace, love for one another and tolerance in them. He charged them to rise to their duties as custodians of the people's tradition, and put more conatus in tackling and resolving crises in their various communities, clans and kingdoms. He reminded them of his burning desire to keep Obubra one in a peaceful condition and provide a delightful ambience where businesses will thrive and meaningful development will be achieved. 

To further achieve that however, the exuberant leader saw reasons to meet with security heads within and without Obubra. He invited the Divisional Police Officer, DPO, the DSS, the Superintendent of the NSCD, the Police Area Commander, the Army from Edor Barracks Ikom, Officers from the Nigerian Correctional Service etc. Dr Bassey however charged them to rise up to the security situation of the area, and do their job of fighting crime. He promised to work with them throughout his dispensation in order to achieve his mandate of keeping Obubra peaceful, thereby setting it on the pinnacle of development.

Dr Bassey Tom has met with so many stakeholders and different organisations which include but not limited to community leaders, youths, women, primary school head teachers, Ndi Igbo, Opinion leaders and so on. To fulfill his campaign mantra, which is "peaceful coexistence", Dr Bassey Agara Tom  has settled variegated dispute such as;

1) Ochon/ Isabang Crisis

2) Apiapum/ Okum Chieftaincy Crisis

3) Eja/Nta Nsele Crisis

4) Ogada/ Owankande 2 Crisis

5) Ogana/ Odun Ofumbongha Crisis in Ofumbongha 1

6) Ababene youth leadership Crisis

7) and Crisis between Inyibichiri and Azofia_Ida Communities over missing Cows and destruction of properties.

8) Crisis between Araragha youths and their chiefs... This Crisis would have cost total unrest in the community if not for swift attention of the Chairman.

All these Crises have been successfully handled by the indefatigable Chairman of Obubra Local Government Council, and more consultations are underway especially in the Osopong area which still remains the flashpoint that has given the Chairman sleepless nights. When he met with the women of that area, he had passion in them and called for leadership meeting in order to devise means of settling the lingering dispute in the area so as to end the belligerence and bellicosity orchestrated in the area. Also, the Chairman called on the governor, senator Ben Ayade through the DG Cross River State Border communities Agency during their visit to his office, to take the issue of the area seriously, in order to engender lasting peace and rehabilitate the people therein, to save them from the seeming habitual trepidation occasioned by the wars.

In addition to peace making, the Chairman embarked on other tangible and meaningful projects such as;

1) Renovation of Chairman's Office... This office was burnt and defaced, it was left to be isolated in the bush until the advent of the Chairman with great panache. Today the edifice has been reclaimed and refurbished to the taste of the people.

2) Renovation and furnishing of Chairman's living quarters. The building was denuded and left bare.

3) Renovation of political block

4) Renovation of Vice Chairman's living quarters.

5) General painting of Office block within the Council Secretariat

6) Painting of legislative block 

7) Renovation of office of the revenue unit

8) Renovation of Hall of Fame within the Council area

9) Purchase of Chairs for Council fellowship

10) Purchase of office furniture for the Council offices.

11) Painting of the Roundabout and the Stadium Pavillion. 

12) Underscoring his desire to revamp agriculture in the Local Government, Dr Bassey Agara Tom has raised 5000 palm nursery to boost the sector. This is due to his knowledge to the fact that Obubra is an agrarian area and has the most fecund and arable soil still untapped.

13) It might shock you that prior to his emergence, the Council was without drinkable water, the staff and the people living with the Council were left to suffer in search of water from far away streams, lakes and ponds. Today, the story is different as the passionate Chairman has drilled and installed a motorised borehole within the Council Secretariat. This will solve this perennial problem of lack of water in the area.

14) The Chairman first declared operation keep Obubra clean. The flag off was leading the people to clear the road from the Council to the Junction and the verges well chemicalized to stand the test of time. He also led the planting of trees exercise to provide a green environment for the well-being of the people. All these were  deliberate efforts to allow for fresh air into the LGA and improve the lifespan of an Obubra man and woman.

In the area of electricity, the Chairman has met with the PHCN staff in two different occasions in an attempt to restore light in Obubra. This process is still on going and the Chairman has vowed to do his best to create an Obubra where  everything works. Dr Bassey Tom frowned at the poor revenue generating system he met in the Council. Inview of this, he has brought more vigour and resuscitation to provide a mechanism to boost the LGA's revenue which can positively affect its monthly allocation. It is quite soothing to hear from the staff through the head of Local Government Administration, the benign attitude of Dr Bassey Tom towards them, given the uncommon attention he accords them, which has invariably eased the work environment for them and also affected their attitude to work. 

100 days in office is but 3 months and some days, it takes a committed and visionary leader like Dr Bassey Agara Tom to achieve these feats in a short period like this. Angered by the backwardness of the LGA, Dr Bassey Tom deployed his leadership and administrative arsonal to change the narratives of Obubra. As he takes up the gauntlet to fight the underdevelopment of the land amidst the lean resources, let's do out parts by acting as towering strength to him in order to break the chain and liberate the land from manumission.

Support Dr Bassey Agara Tom to give us fresh air we have not had before. The achievable achiever, a passionate leader. The vision is visible, and the new Obubra is realisable.

Bright Ibingha

Chief Press Secretary