Development: Eket Most Hostile Community in Akwa Ibom, Says Commissioner

 

The under development of Eket Local Government Area, one of the core oil producing areas in Akwa Ibom State, has been attributed to the hostile attitude of the indigenes of the LGA and not government lack of concern or interest toward its expansion, the state Commissioner for Works, Mr. Ephraim Inyang-eyen, has alleged.

The commissioner, who is an indigene of the area, made the assertion while answering questions from journalists at the weekend on the delay to complete the Eket Urban Renewal Scheme that now attracts criticism over its non-completion two years after it was initiated by the present state administration.

Inyang-eyen frowned that since the initial development of the area during the reign of late Brigadier U. J. Esuene, who hailed from the area and was the Military Governor of the then South-eastern state, the development of Eket had remained static.

“Let me say this very bluntly. If that project (Eket Urban Renewal) was sited far away from where I come from, probably I would have lost interest in it because of the behaviour of the community.

 “And I want to be quoted, the most difficult community to have worked and constructed road in the state is Eket, and I am from the community.

“They speak from both sides of their mouths, including their elders. It is the only community that will receive compensation and deny it and refuse their structures to be taken down,” he stated.

The commissioner maintained that “if the Eket remodel project is delayed, it is because we have not had help from the Eket people supporting the cause of government.

“Let me say this emphatically, they don’t welcome development. And I understand why that local government area, which is my senatorial headquarters, had remained that way. There is no dualised road, it is still in the stage that late Esuene left it.”

He explained that one of the cardinal assignments given to him by the Governor Udom Emmanuel on assumption of office in 2015 was to open up the local government area for development.

He said: “Across the 31 local government areas of the state, this administration has virtually made conscious efforts to impact everywhere with its present.

“In some of the local government areas, there was no government present in term of road project since its creation.

“It is amazing that we have done 69 internal roads in the state. Road construction is spread and not restricted to any senatorial district like the last administration.

“Apart from few people who believe that until you do the one in their village, you have not done something, I think Akwa Ibom people would be satisfied that in a space of one year, this governor has made conscious efforts to get the state link together. Most importantly is the super highway which is the only way to the deep sea port.”

According to the commissioner, the state government has so far inaugurated at least 49 direct labour roads in his first term while another 47 direct labour roads are to be executed in the second term of the administration.

He debunked the insinuations that the state government was not paying compensation on structures demolished in the cause of road construction in the state, saying: “The story of non-payment of compensation is a blatant lie.

“Once there is any of these careless petitions, we have enough documentary evidences to back it up.”