WE'VE FARED WELL AS A NATION -NIGERIANS

Nigeria as one of the developing countries of the world has fared creditably in the area of technological advancement given the recent launch of Nig-Sat 2, which is completely an indigenous scientific discovery. This remark was made in Calabar by the Deputy Speaker of the Cross River State House of Assembly, Itaya Asuquo Nyong, while commenting on Nigeria at 51 years of independence.

He said for Nigerians to single handedly, through scientific research, launch a satellite into the orbit, was a success story, which needed to be commended. Nyong also praised both present and past leaders of the country for keeping Nigeria together as one indivisible nation in spite of all challenges. He described the Nig-Sat 2 as a welcome development, which would help in mapping, cropping as well as increasing productivity, adding that Nig-Sat 2 was the first to capture the hurricane Irene in US.

According to him, 'by the time the issue of power is addressed, every other sector will automatically pick up.'

He commended the Federal Government for awarding contracts for construction of coastal roads, East/West Road totaling over 170 kilometres. Nyong said aside from that government was developing more infrastructure, especially in the area of establishing more universities in the country. He, therefore, called on Nigerians to rally round the President Goodluck Jonathan-led administration to provide the needed dividend of democracy.

Nigerians, he said, must be enlightened on how government programmes work and sued for more patience.

Also speaking, Dr. Okpo Ojar, a university don and member of Cross River State Judicial Commission, said from two schools of thought, Nigeria's independence was a nullity while in another hand, the nation had cause to celebrate its 51st anniversary. According to him, 'Nigeria has achieved something by being united and stable as a sovereign nation, having recovered from the civil war.

'Technologically, we have progressed while in the educational sector, we are better than where we were. Our foreign policy has become more dynamic,' he said. Dr. Ojar said because of the heterogenic nature of the country with over 150 million people, 'no matter what you do as a leader, you cannot pacify everybody.'

He said, 'in spite of all the shortcomings, Nigeria has maintained the first position as the greatest in Africa.'