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| GREENCODE’s Executive Director, Mr Edem Edem (in green) addressing youth leaders in Akpabuyo |
Efio-Ita Nyok|7 August 2017
Green Concern for Development (GREENCODE), a front-line civil society organisation designated to environment issues, human right and development, Saturday 5th August, embarked on awareness creation and community sensitization to Bakassi, Cross River State Southern Senatorial District over the 23 conditions of the Federal Government on the 275.5KM dual carriage superhighway of Governor Ben Ayade, NegroidHaven has garnered.
This sensitization visit, according to GREENCODE’s founder/Executive Director Comrade Edem Edem was sequel to the expiration of the two weeks given to the Government of Cross River State on Thursday 29th June 2017 where the Minister of State for Environment, Ibrahim Usman Jibril, handed over a five-page conditionally-approved temporary Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report to the Deputy Governor of the state, Prof Ivara Ejemot Esu.
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| GREENCODE in a session of awareness creation at Akpabuyo |
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| Valuers have valued some properties in controversial terms… |
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| Lady informs how her house suffered cracks and damage… Hmmm! |
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| What Superhighway at Esighi Beach looks like |
GREENCODE asserted that the two weeks have expired and the state government, if she has met all the twenty-three conditions, is supposed to commence construction work beginning at Bakassi and Akpabuyo. Thus, they were at these two LGAs to create awareness and sensitise both to the indigenes and residents that, should they see contractors deploying to site to continue construction works they should demand for compliance especially three out of the 23 conditions.
Their visit was to both ascertain the degree of compliance of the state government particularly in respect of the underlying issues, namely,
1. Gazetting of the revocation of the 20KM land grab within 2 weeks from 29 June
2. Resettlement Plan for those anticipated to be and already displaced by project
3. Compensation Plan for those affected by the road embodying;
And educate them on their rights to demand compliance before construction work commenced.
GREENCODE team met with traditional rulers of Ikot Ndarake, Ikot Okpo Ene and Ikot Abasi Efiom alongside their youth leaders and women leaders all in Akpabuyo LGA after their visit to Esighi Beach, point of actual commencement of the proposed 275.5km six lanes superhighway, to assess the degree of construction work there.
While addressing the traditional rulers in Akpabuyo, Mr Edem said that he came with a three-pronged message bordering on advocacy, sensitisation and awareness. His statements reads in part, ‘GREENCODE began as Akpabuyo/ Bakassi Green Movement, then later evolved into Green Concern for Development (GREENCODE); we are given to issues of development, health, education, civics, etc and advocacy, sensitisation on areas of our interests.
Development is what everyone admires, however, development initiatives that are anti-human happiness is not coveted.
‘We have come here today to intimate you of the 23 conditions the state government must meet before the final approval for the construction of the 275.5km superhighway will not be given.
‘Albeit, our concern among the 23 conditions are just three, the other 20 are technical. The three of our interests have to do with compensation for livelihood enhancement, resettlement plan and official gazetting of the revocation of 20km of land grabbed.
‘We as a CSO had expressed shock over the intention of the state government to grab 10KM both ways of the six lanes road. We queried what His Excellency wanted to use 25% of Cross River land mass for. However, His Excellency the Governor of Cross River State has reneged on that decision. The Federal Government has asked him to gazette that decision for record purposes’.
After highlighting the three conditions, the traditional rulers expressed satisfaction over the sensitisation and raised some basic concerns principal was on valuers who were supposed to value their property and communicate accordingly. Some of the villagers informed GREENCODE of their contracting independent valuers who were yet.
One of the traditional rulers present, namely, Silver Effiom Duke
Village Head of Ikot Abasi Efiom, said that in an interview he granted recently to journalists, he had asked the state government to resettle and compensate them. According to him, ‘Like I earlier said in my interview, let that man pay us our compensation…’ ‘We are saying that the government should compensate us, they should relocate us…’ On his part, Chief Okon Asuquo Ita of Village Head Esit Ikot Okpo Ene observed that the project appeared more of a scam. In his words, ‘The Superhighway looks deceitful… ‘ ‘There are many shades of manifestations as the day goes by…’ Margaret A. Effiong the Assistant Women Leader of Ikot Okpo Ene village
Village Head of Ikot Abasi Efiom, said that in an interview he granted recently to journalists, he had asked the state government to resettle and compensate them. According to him, ‘Like I earlier said in my interview, let that man pay us our compensation…’ ‘We are saying that the government should compensate us, they should relocate us…’ On his part, Chief Okon Asuquo Ita of Village Head Esit Ikot Okpo Ene observed that the project appeared more of a scam. In his words, ‘The Superhighway looks deceitful… ‘ ‘There are many shades of manifestations as the day goes by…’ Margaret A. Effiong the Assistant Women Leader of Ikot Okpo Ene village
and Chief Emmanuel Okon
Village Head Ikot Okpo who were both present corroborated the earlier traditional rulers.
The general mood wasn’t bright. Some residents expressed discontent over how they were already displaced. Some called on the government to resettle and compensate them. They observed the harsh weather conditions they were subjected to as a result of no trees, some economic to assuage the influence of cold breeze, etc. They decried the negative impact of these developments to their health. One Mrs. Alice particularly told GREENCODE of the cracks in her house that ensued as a result of the pressure/vibration from heavy duty construction machines. She feared for her life and that of her children.
In conclusion, the affected communities thanked GREENCODE team for coming to sensitise them on FG 23 conditions and appeal to GREENCODE and other well meaning environment NGOs to help project their voice until they are adequately compensated, resettled and their land within the 20km corridor of the road is gazetted to ensure this does not happen again in the nearest future.
Efio-Ita Nyok
Is a Blogger, the Editor & Publisher of NegroidHaven
