- Envoy Visits Governor Ayade
By Akanimo Kufre (The New Diplomat’s A/Ibom|C/River Correspondent)
The Cameroonian Consul-General in Calabar, Mr. Onono Patrice has commended the government and people of Cross River state for showing tremendous hospitality to Cameroonian refugees in the state.
Ayade who spoke while receiving a delegation of Consular officials led by Patrice at the Conference Room of the Governor’s Office in Calabar, commended the Cameroonian government for taking steps to bring normalcy to the troubled parts of the country’s south.
“I am delighted to host you today as you come as a messenger to deliver the message of the impending visit of my counterpart in Southwest Cameroon. I want to hereby tell you that I have without hesitation approved the courtesy visit which you will organise with the secretary to government and my Commissioner for foreign affairs. They will work with you towards fixing a date that will be suitable for me to receive him here in Calabar afterwards embark on a journey to Obudu.
“I am happy to hear that your country is making efforts for peace to return to those two major provinces. I am particularly happy to hear that you have started reconstruction of the provinces because what makes us human beings is the spirit of compassion. The international view about what is happening in Cameroon is not good for the black man. Gov Ayade noted.
“And so anything we can do to assist our brothers from Cameroon to return to their home land and have a sense of dignity, a sense of humanity and in value and worth for man kind, we will do.”
In January 2020, Cross River state government had extended the sum of N800 million and 100 hectares of its lands to enable the refugees engage in farming.
“It is our duty, our responsibility to actively provide a shoulder for your refugees, your own citizens who are here to find comfort. As a state, we have done our best to support UNHCR in supporting the refugees. For example, when they made a request for the provision of land I had no hesitation. I gave them land that they needed almost immediately,” Gov Ayade said.
Speaking earlier, the Consul-General told governor Ayade he was instructed by Presiddent Biya to pay him a visit to intimate him of the desire of the governor of that country’s South west region to visit the state.
“Our visit this morning was instructed by the president of the Republic of Cameroon, His Excellency Paul Biya. He had instructed a consul visit to our refugees in Cross River State and this consul visit is a mission of the governor of the southwest region which is the region that shares border with Cross River State. And Cross River State is hosting about 62% of the total Cameroonian refugees in Nigeria.” Patrice said.
Also, Mr. Patrice thanked Ayade for his hospitality to Cameroonians who have been living in Nigeria for the past three years.
“We would also like to have our Governor pay you a courtesy visit and for us as consulate in Calabar, we are proposing them to visit Obudu because Obudu is very close to some areas where we have refugees.”
About 51,723 Cameroonian refugees are settling in Cross River State, while the Head of UNHCR sub office in the state Mr Mulugeta Zwedie said Ogoja Camp in Cross River was the largest refugee camp in West Africa.
Also, in August 2019 WHO Africa had pledged to support Gov Ben Ayade administration in managing the humanitarian crisis.
“WHO will continue to work with Government to ensure every child is immunized and not one single child left behind,” he stated.
The national immunization campaign was held with the supervision of the state government from 20 to 23 July 2019 using the household, fixed- post and special teams strategy throughout Cross River State benefitting the two refugee settlements in Ogoja, as well 26 refugee host communities across six (6) LGAs- Akamkpa, Bakassi, Boki, Etung, Ikom, Obanliku.
A total of 5,863 eligible children from refugee camps were vaccinated with two drops of the oral polio vaccine (OPV) as against 2,042 and 1,809 vaccinated in April and July 2018 NIDs respectively when the influx into Cross River initially began.
