CROSS RIVER GUBER ASPIRANTS (6)

NTUFAM (BARR) FIDELIS  UGBO

Intufam (Barr.) Fidelis Ugbo is from Obanliku Local Government Area of Cross River State. He was born on the 10th November, 1955. He is a philanthropist, an astute politician, a financier and a community leader.

Born at an age when western education was yet to gain a strong foothold in his community and its recruits were still largely feared for choosing that path to the future, the vision of Ntufam Fidelis transcended and out-schemes that of his environment as he sensed the treasure in the Golden Fleece that western education offered. Guided by such a vision, he promptly enrolled at RCM Primary School, Bayansung for his primary school education which was later completed at central Primary School, Sankwala with distinction.

Thus, while some of his peers stagnated at this level and filtered into low cadre jobs, he proceeded for his Secondary Education after the civil war at the prestigious College of Immaculate Conception, Enugu, with its legendary turbulence, for which he remained undaunted. Ntufam acquired his Secondary Education Certificate well celebrated even more than today’s doctorate degree. Ntufam Ugbo was yet to come to terms with settling down for menial jobs because he had envisioned things in the future. So he proceeded for further studies in Accountancy at the then Polytechnic Calabar (now CRUTECH). His academic sojourn was further pursued to the University of Calabar where he was one of the pioneer students in the Department of Economics to acquire a Bachelor of Science (B.sc) degree in Economics.

At this juncture therefore, partial satisfaction with academic sojourn struck him and the need for a break surface. Thus he commenced his formal working experience as a lecturer in the then College of Basic Studies, Akampka (now College of Education). Shortly after, he left and joined the nation’s apex bank, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), where he served until his creditable voluntary retirement in 2006, after letting the bank to tap from his wealth of experience in almost all its Departments. And inspite of the encumbrances emanating from his sensitive schedules at CBN, he was still able to undertake a Law degree programme at the University of Abuja and a Master of Science (M.sc) degree in finance from the University of Calabar. He was call to Bar in 2005. His service in CBN was punctuated by a call to serve Cross River State as Commissioner for Finance, Budget and Economic Planning for Five years during the military era. It was a position from where his qualities as a diligent, workaholic and forthright technocrat were showcased to the admiration and commendation of all and sundry, which has endeared him to people even beyond Cross River State. Among others, it was at this time he championed the creation of the State Planning Commission as a veritable outfit to intervene in the developmental dwarfism of the State by addressing her progressive needs.

On voluntary retirement from service, he was overwhelmed by a desire to lead Cross River State as Governor. After due consultation with concerned friends, this golden intention was declared. With his track record, which cannot be forgetten in a hurry, he was able to warm his way into the heart of many people. But he is a man of substance who has no difficulty in identifying the right path. So, good, fit and able as he found himself to be, he non- hesitantly stepped down for the incumbent Governor, His Excellency, Senator Liyel Imoke, in whom he had identified positive traits of selfless service which to him, the State desired in order to move forward. On his path too, being a man of sound judgment, His Excellency may also have found in him the invaluable companion in the quest to actualize the State’s advancement, thus, as soon as Senator Liyel Imoke assumed office as Governor, Barr Fidelis Ugbo was appointed Secretary to the State Government a position he held until September 2011.

Following his meritorious service to the government and the people of the State he was found worthy by the President, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, who appointed him Executive Secretary, National Planning Commission in September 2011. He also doubles as Secretary to Council, National Economic Council.

In all these assignments, what cannot however be swept under the carpet or glossed over, is that Ntufam (Barr.) Fidelis Ugbo brought his high learning and wealth of experience as a technocrat to bear on his job. His permanent disposition as a gentleman has been effectively combined with his ever welcoming smile to give any office he occupies a human face and dispel whatever mystification is supposed to be woven around it. Ntufam Ugbo is indeed an image maker, with his broad spectrum experience, especially given his membership of notable national and international professions and social organizations like; the chartered Institute of Management of Nigeria; the African Business School;  the Nigerian Bar Association; Association of Professional Mediators & Negotiators; the Nigerian Economic Society.

In addition, through his commitment to service in his career, he has attended worthwhile career building courses such as managing and leading strategic change, London; Modern Management skills London, UK; Microfinance Institutes Management, Gambia; International Negotiation Skills, Ghana; Applied Microfinance, Kenya; Professional Negotiation and mediation course, Nigeria; Harvard Kennedy Executive Education Programme Boston, USA; Top Executive leadership course of the Institute of National Transportation; Annual spring meeting of the IMF/ World Bank, Japan; Annual Spring meeting of the IMF/ world Bank, USA; Finance and Risks Management Meeting, Zimbabwe; Regional meeting in ECOWAS Research Programme, Abidjan Cote D’Ivoire; High Level Seminar for African Countries; African Regional Consultative meeting on sustainable Development Goals Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; High Level Forum on Aid effectiveness, Busan, South Korea; Heads of Planning Institution Consultative meeting, NEPAD, South Africa; Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD), Cameroon.

In recognition of his sterling qualities and faint-less service to humanity, various organizations have also honored him with distinguished awards, like; Ntufam by the Ndidem of the Quas, HRM Ndidem Thomas IKa Ika Oqua; Certificate of Excellence in public Finance Management by Accounting Students Association, the Federal Polytechnic Calabar; Doctor of Philosophy in Business Administration (Honoris Causa) from Christian Evangel University, Louisiana, United States; Best man of the year 2003 by the American Bibliographical Association; Best Secretary of Government, South-South Zone by the Niger Delta Advancement Award – 2008; International Peace Association Ambassador among others.

Ntufam believes that one of the ways to develop a man is through capacity building. Thus, during his service in the National Planning Commission, Barr. Ugbo was able to empower over 70 Cross Riverians with the skills, altitudes and values necessary to contribute in shaping a sustainable present and future Cross River State. This has achieved the facilitation of scholarships for post graduates students and short courses abroad at no cost for the beneficiaries.

Ntufam Ugbo has deep interest in the growth of the state. He desires to consolidate and deepen the development gains of a foundation that has been laid by previous administrations and current dispensation, by ensuring that these gains cascade into better welfare for the citizens of the State.

This, we can achieve through; Value Chain addition – SMEs Agriculture, Improve Service delivery ICT, Job creation partnership – infrastructure.

This is especially so, given the existential reality that the State is no longer a major oil producing State. He intends to give special attention to the development of critical areas like: Education, Health, Urban and Rural Feeder Roads, Rural Electrification, Water Supply, Transport and Environment. 

Also, Agriculture, Small and Medium Enterprises, Tourism and ICT.