Cross River Governor, Senator Bassey Otu, has urged Nigerians to focus on the nation’s long-term goals rather than the temporary challenges caused by the ongoing economic reforms introduced by the Federal Government.

Otu made this statement on Tuesday at the U.J. Esuene Stadium in Calabar during the celebration of Nigeria’s 64th Independence Day Anniversary in Cross River.

The governor, who braved the rain to stand on the saluting dais and receive salutes from the police, other paramilitary organizations, and participating schools in a march-past, acknowledged that the nation’s challenges were significant. However, he noted that the expected benefits of the ongoing reforms far outweighed the current difficulties.

He said that what the nation needed was perseverance, as there was light at the end of the tunnel, adding that Nigeria had come a long way and remained a progressing, sovereign, and indivisible political entity.

Governor Otu noted that during his first year as governor of Cross River, he had been intentional about not engaging in any blame game regarding previous administrations but instead charting a new course for the state in every aspect of governance.

“I have developed the habit of building consensus before making major government decisions aimed at fostering political harmony and economic prosperity for the state.

“Politics may come with its parochial sentiments, ethnic biases, and religious bigotry as tools used by some politicians to achieve electoral victory, but once a government is in place, these divisive tendencies must have no role in governance.

“Instead, we must adopt the art of statecraft by unleashing the inner will to serve the people. We must build a generation of selfless politicians for the continued progress of Cross River,” he said.

He stressed that the expectations of the citizens were vast and legitimate, thus necessitating collective efforts to meet most of these expectations.

Otu called on all political actors in the state to unify their interests into a collective agenda, in order to create a well-defined development plan for the state, enabling it to compete favorably among other sub-national entities.

He added that, as an administration operating under the “People First” mantra, he was committed to implementing any measures that would alleviate the suffering of the people.

On his part, the Commissioner for Information, Mr. Erasmus Ekpang, remarked that the 64th Independence celebration was a time for Nigerians to reflect on the nation’s journey so far.

Ekpang noted that it was also a time to remember the efforts of the nation’s past heroes in securing national unity and togetherness, adding that, collectively, Nigerians could overcome the current economic challenges facing the country.