Map of Cross River State in South South Nigeria
PATRICK ABANG Calabar
Ikot Effanga Mkpa Town Council in Calabar Municipal of Cross River State, has accused the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, and the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) of total neglect to the community.
The people also accused The Cross River Basin Development Authority, Federal Character Commission, Cross River State Dump Site for what they called unfair treatment by the government and it agencies, and have threaten to take necessary action to correct these abnormally through legal means.
In a statement in Calabar signed by Chief Effanga Ineng Effanga and made available to National Accord, they accused The Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs and the NDDC of neglect and being insensitive to their feelings.
They alledged that NDDC did not carry the people along in the just concluded employment carried out by the agency even when they were promised ten slots, not even one was allotted to them as host community.
According to the leader of Ikot Effanga Mkpa Town, Chief Effanga Ineng Effanga, the community are accusing the ministry of non observant of the local content principle in terms of employment.
The community leaders also blameo The Cross River Basin Development Authority for a similar act of negligence and insensitivity when they carried out employment but failed to employ indigenes from the host community, even when the Town Council approach them, Basin authority did not listen to their plead to assist them.
They frowned at the fact that they are host to many agencies including National Agency for the Prohibition of trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), yet they have nothing to show for being a good and receptive host.
“The issue of Cross River State Dump Site in Ikot Effanga Mkpa managed by Calabar City Urban Development Authority is another head ache for the town council, who averred that the dump site has become a major source of ill health to the people living there. Unethical ways and means of dumping refuse in the area is causing untold health hazard with attendant complications to the people. Chief Effanga the leader of the town council team stated”.
“The former Head of Service of the federation, Winifred Eyo Ita, had taken a special interest on recycling of refuse to create wealth. But since her removal, that idea became dead”
He lamented unbehalf of the town council team that the state ministry of environment had promised to recycle and create wealth from the dump site but uptil now nothing has happened and the dump site has become a major source of ill health”
“Another issue according to them is that of Land grabbing by the government. Alluding to the fact that parcel E1 and parcel E2 in Ikot Effanga Mkpa was seized by the state government without payment of compensation to the town council of Ikot Effanga Mkpa”
Meanwhile, NATIONAL ACCORD contacted the the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs through Mr Okorie Okorie Director of the Ministry, but he decline to comment on the matter stating that by his status he cannot talk to the media.