CROS RIVER STATE GUBER ASPIRANTS, 2015 (5)

Dr. Peter Oti & Unfolding Realities Of

His Life

In the book, ‘The Treasure Chest’ edited by Charles L. Wallis, a well-known writer, Ralph W. Sockman cleverly remarked, ‘There are parts of a ship which taken by themselves, would sink. The engine would sink. The propeller would sink. But when the parts of a ship are built together, they float-’ an indication that there is more strength in bonding that in separateness. That is in the character of Dr.Peter Oti, who in words and deeds reflects unity of purpose and unanimity of goals.

From 1983, when he was Accounting Assistant at the defunct Cross River State Agricultural Development Corporation (CRSADC), possibly his first place of work after graduation, Dr. Oti teamed up with like-minds in the sector in suggesting to government and corporate bodies, policies that could help in encouraging and expanding subsistence farming among households in the State, and in systematic manner, encouraging further large scale farming for high income generation and exports.

Eight years later, he became the Accountant at the State Oil Board- a position he held briefly before he became in the same year-1991, the Financial Controller, Oban (Nig.) Rubber Estates Limited, up till 1994 when he emerged a Part-Time Director of Utugwang Micro-Finance Bank Limited. The same year, he was also made the Financial Controller, Cross River State Oil Palm/ Cocoa Board, a position he held until 1995.

He was not done. His curiosity in accounting and financial management continued to heighten with his engagement by the University of Calabar, Calabar in lecturing at the Department of Accounting. It did not limit him, and in demonstrating his versatility, was given special assignments that occasionally took him out of the University community within the period he was lecturing. These included Chairman, Technical Committee, CRS Salary Verification (1996) and Member/Acting Secretary, CRS Transition Implementation Committee, Sub Committee on Boards and Parastatals (March, 1999). Within the University Community, Dr Oti rose steadily as member of strategic university committees, to Sub-Dean, Faculty of Management Sciences, Acting Head, Department of Accounting and Acting Dean, Faculty of Management Sciences- the way he also rose systematically in obtaining his academic qualifications- B.Sc, MBA, MSC, Ph.D, ACA and ACITN, and within the years, he conducted 12 published researches and presented 10 seminar papers.

 Prior to this time in 1991, Dr. Oti was Estate Manager of Nsadop Oil Palm Estate, Boki- a position he held for six months. Hardly had he concluded the task than the Governor of Cross River State, Senator Liyel Imoke (CON) spotted him, precisely in February, 2007 and appointed him Special Adviser on Local Government Affairs. His principal tasks were ensuring harmony among the 18 local government councils in the state, implementation of grassroots-oriented projects and sustainable collaboration and understanding with the State Government. And to the admiration of the government and the people, Dr. Oti did not let anyone down. Satisfied with his diligence, the Governor reassigned him to the Department of Budget, Monitoring and Evaluation as Special Adviser three months after to smoothen the progress of budget planning, implementation and consolidation.

 Before now, budget policies were largely inconsistent with acceptable standards, and planning was mostly on short term basis. But today, and with the complementary efforts of the Special Adviser, and his membership of the State Economic Management Team, budget planning is now logical, participatory and on the basis of Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF)- meaning that there are now budget projections for every five years, without losing sight of the state wobbly financial status, unsteady sources of revenues and financial burdens associated with the payments of salaries and development projects.

Dr Oti, an astute accountant and budget planner, instituted measures aimed at stabilizing the system, amid these challenges, and today, despite the loss of the state oil wells, is economically stabilized- a situation that is surprising to states besieged with instability in financial standing. And like it is often said, the reward for hard work is more hard work, Senator Imoke in October 2013 rewarded Dr Oti with assignment as Acting Chairman, Cross River State Board of Internal Revenue Service following widespread maladministration that crippled the essence of the Board.

Now that he is not reneging on these responsibilities, more hard work as reward is expected in showing the appreciation of government and the people for a man who is self-sacrificial and conscientious in every given task.