Crisis is currently brewing between Ete Communities in Akwa Ibom State and National Integrated Power Project (NIPP) over alleged refusal by NIPP to pay compensation on properties affected by the Ikot Ekpene Ikot Abasi 330KVA transmission line project lot 18 passing through a section of the communities.
The project, which was handled by the Niger Delta Power Holding Company Limited (NDPHC), affected 12 communities in Ikot Abasi Council Area.
The villages are: Abiaran; Ete; Ekpuk Inang; Umeneke II, Ikot Akan; Abasute; Ikot Etenge Ete; Okpot; Odione Isoutibe; Obioakama; Umeneke I and Essienetuk.
A community leader, Nseyo Ekwere, who spoke to reporters yesterday in Uyo, the state capital, explained that the properties of Ete communities were affected by the proposed project and based on valuation report of the consultant to the project, Mr. Joe Ettaba, the communities are entitled to a total sum of N679, 801, 817.00 as compensation.
Ekwere explained that NIPP was yet to pay the compensation despite several letters written by the lawyers of the affected communities.
He said: “We have not been paid compensation and we have realised that the Bureau of Public Procurement had certified us for compensation after leaving the sum of N4.1 billion for the project.”
Ekwere also explained that prior to the commencement of work by NDPHC, the communities wrote a letter of demand for compensation to the company and the company in reply dated May 27, 2014 intimated them for the first time that Messrs Ene and Associates was contracted through Akwa Ibom State Government, to reevaluate and pay compensation for the project.
Tag: Akwa Ibom
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Crisis looms in Akwa Ibom over nonpayment of N679 million compensation
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‘DPR seals 60 surface tanks in Akwa Ibom, Cross River’
The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) sealed over 60 surface tanks used for dispensing kerosene without licence in Akwa Ibom and Cross River states in November and December, an official has said.
Mr. Bassey Nkanga, DPR’s operation controller in charge of Akwa Ibom and Cross River, in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Eket Local Government of Akwa Ibom, said: “We have sealed over 60 surface tanks for dispensing kerosene without licence in my area of operations.
“We sealed every tank whether the operators were selling or not.
“The department needed to know where the operators lifted their product from, to prevent them from buying adulterated kerosene,’’ the official said.
He said most of the sealed surface tanks were in Akwa Ibom State.
Nkanga told NAN that the department was working with the Independent Marketers’ Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) to check illegal operators’ activities.
On scarcity of kerosene, the controller said the product was not available in depots in Akwa Ibom.
He said the Federal Government was doing its best to ensure its availability.
“Kerosene is a domestic energy source. The government is very sensitive; it is doing its best to ensure kerosene is available and sold at the approved pump price,’’ Nkanga said.
The DPR controller told NAN that the department had received 40 applications from Akwa Ibom State residents for licence to sell kerosene with surface tanks.
He urged other kerosene marketers to obtain licence, warning that defaulters will be punished.
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Artists shut down FRCN over unpaid salary
Artists on the payroll of Federal Radio Cooperation of Nigeria (FRCN), Radio Nigeria Atlantic 104.5 FM, Uruan, Akwa Ibom, on Thursday shut down the station over accumulated salaries.
The protesters carried placards with inscriptions: “The artists of Atlantic 104.5 FM want the release of our February 2016 to January 2017 salary, Else there will be no broadcast’’, “Pay us our 11 months salary, we are very very hungry’’.
Other inscriptions include: “We the artists of Atlantic 104.5 FM want our 11 months salary. Else no work, enough is enough,’’, “We have been patient enough, pay us 11 months salary now’’.
A News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) correspondent who visited the premises reports that the office was under lock and keys.
Mr Asuquo Ekpo, the spokesman of the protesters, told NAN that the management had refused to pay them their salary for inexplicable reasons.
He said that the management of the station was not fair to the plight of the artists who had worked tirelessly to make the station functional.
However, Ekpo lamented that the station was unfair and treated them poorly for no just reason.
“How can we be working for 11 months without paying us salary; we have waited patiently enough and that is why we have decided to shut down the station.
“We are calling for the removal of the Zonal Director of the station because artists in Port Harcourt had been paid and we don’t know why we have not been paid until now,’’ Ekpo said.
He called on patriotic Nigerians and other stakeholders to intervene and ensure that they were paid their entitlements, stressing that their children are hungry and could not pay their school fees again.
NAN also reports that the management of Atlantic 104.5 Fm, artists and industrial attachment staff were seen roaming outside the office premises.
Some workers were seen eating in the cafeteria of the station while some are discussing the issue in hush tones.
Reacting to the development, a senior management staff of the station, who pleaded anonymity, confirmed that the zone owes the artists, assuring that the management is working to ensure that their salary is paid.
He commended them for the peaceful protest, saying that the management will address their plight.
NAN further reports that all the Heads of Department had met to resolve the crisis.
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Fire guts Akwa Ibom Works Commissioner’s house
The house of the Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Works, Ephraim Inyang was on Sunday gutted by fire.
Although no life was lost to the fire incident, The Nation learnt that property worth millions of Naira were destroyed in the building.
The house is located at L Line, close to De Silva Hotel in Uyo, the state capital.
The fire incident which occurred around 7pm on Christmas day destroyed a particular section of the house.
It was gathered that the Fire Service men battled the inferno though they were contacted late as there was no occupant in the compound during sad incident.
Sources say they fire incident may have been caused by an electrical equipment which might have been switched on.
The rented building is owned by an Akwa Ibom – Port Harcourt based business man.
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Truck kills conductor, lands on cab in Akwa Ibom
A diesel truck driver on Saturday killed his conductor and crashed on to a cab at Ekom Iman Junction in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.
The truck was said to have fallen into the gutter and crushed a taxi which was waiting for its turn to load.
A resident, Mr. Okon Ekong, said the truck was on high speed without minding the corner.
He added that as the driver tried to maneuovre to avoid crashing into the gutter, but owing to the speed, he was unable to do so.
He added that just three weeks earlier a truck crushed into the similar spot killing a child.
According to Ekong, there should be proper training for truck drivers as many of them do not know the difference between a straight road and a bent.
His words: “Trucks are major threats in Akwa Ibom. The drivers, who drive these trucks drive them as if they were riding motorbikes or cars. Many deads in the state caused by accident are always accentuated by tucks.
“Not just three weeks ago, a truck fell on the same spot of Ekom Iman and killed a child, not to mention that of Itam in Itu Local Government Area of the state, just a month ago that claimed lives.
“This time it was the conduct of the truck that lost his life. Though the cab driver was able to escape dead as he was not in the vehicle, how will he repair the vehicle so that he can fend for his family once again?
“I think there should be special school for truck drivers. it should not be an all comer affairs.”
The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Cordelia Nwawe, said she was not aware of a truck falling and killing anybody.
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Market wall collapses in Akwa Ibom, kills two
The wall of a popular market in Urua Ederebo, Ikot Akpatek, Onna Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State, on Monday collapsed killing two market women while 17 others sustained different degrees of injuries.
Onna is hometown of Akwa Ibom State Governor Udom Emmanuel.
An eyewitness report indicates that injured victims were moved to Immanuel General Hospital, Eket for medical attention, while the two casualties were immediately evacuated from the area.
The eyewitness, who pleaded anonymity, narrated how some of the victims considered to have been dead during the incident were however resuscitated on arrival at the hospital
According to findings by The Nation, Urua Ederebo market is 60 year old and was renovated three years ago by the state government.
The Akwa Ibom Works Commissioner, Ephraim Inyang-eyen, who led an emergency rescue team to the scene of the incident said no life was lost during the incident.
It was also learnt that Mr. Inyang-eyen immediately evacuated the casualties and the injured.
Reacting to the incident, the State Commissioner of Police, Murtala Mani, confirmed that two women died to the collapsed market wall.
He said: “It is not a building that collapsed. It was the wall of a local market. The market is a small market. Two market women died.”
The collapse of the market wall is coming exactly nine days after a church building belonging to Reigners Bible International collapsed and killed 26 worshippers and injured hundreds. -
Orphan, 10, others get Akwa Ibom Speaker’s scholarship
An orphan, Master Elisha Daniel, yesterday got a full scholarship from the Speaker of Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Onofiok Luke, to cover his secondary education.
Daniel, a primary six pupil in Eket, was among orphans and widows who attended the end-of-year thanksgiving organised by the state chapter of the Legislators Wives Association (LEWA).
Elisha attracted the attention of the Speaker when he filed out with other orphans to receive cash donations and other items that LEWA provided.
The Speaker, who was moved by the lad’s story, pledged to provide funds for his secondary education.
Handing over his particulars to an aide of the Speaker, Daniel, a pupil of Holy Child Primary School at Idua Eket, hailed Luke for his gesture.
The boy promised to work hard in school to justify the scholarship.
LEWA President Uduak Onofiok Luke expressed gratitude to God for ensuring that members’ spouses impacted lives with their legislative engagements during the year.
Mrs Luke said LEWA would continue to touch lives.
She urged beneficiaries to make judicious use of the items they got.
Seventy-eight widows and orphans from the 26 state constituencies of the state got cash donations, wrappers and food items.
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‘No contract on Akwa Ibom-Cross River axis of East West Road’
Pastor Usani Uguru Usani is the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs. He spoke with some reporters in Calabar recently. NICHOLAS KALU was there.
What did you meet on ground and what your priority as you took over the ministry?
Putting things in proper perspective became our first responsibility, which so far is beginning to shape. It was just a situation before where people thought that, the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs was a platform for collecting and sharing and then insistent agitations that would suggest further sharing. There can be no better way to describe that and that was why we had more 420 billion disbursed in the Ministry and the rate of project completion was just 12 per cent. So much of waste.
It was just nothing other than the conception that we had ascribed to ourselves of violent agitations or settlement at the detriment of the intentions of the setting up of the ministry. This is what I met. What we are trying to do is to reward contractors who have been diligent. Those who have shown due diligence in execution to be encouraged by being mobilized further to return to site. And those who are in liability against their resource mobilization to be requested or advised to return to site until they get to the levels of project execution that is commensurate with what they have gained financially.
What is the situation of the East-West Road?
Maybe you also need a good understanding of the history of the East West Road. It was first awarded in 2006. So today it is one decade of a project that is not complete yet has so much social and economic importance to the region. It is awarded in sections 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5. All the other sections are in progress of work except section 5, being the one linking Akwa Ibom from Oron to Calabar in Cross River State. Several segments of the East West Road are at various stages of execution. But obviously not at the same level. But section 5 has not started at all. But one thing I know is that the Section 5 which is till in my view at the level of award has been encumbered with certain procedural considerations. When the contract was awarded, it was awarded in US Dollars. Also the earlier design made suggested that of the complex bridge to link Oron and Calabar, the award carried only first phase of the contract with a partial commencement of the second phase and that means if it had started or even if it had been completed, you will never know when the second phase would awarded as to having a complete project.
Besides, one discovers that the nature of the design was going to affect the social conditions of the two communities, Calabar and Oron because the end route in Calabar was going to empty at the roundabout at Watt Market. So if you imagine traffic to the state from the road to empty in the city centre, it means some days people would not even move from one point for hours and it was a great defect. Consider even the fact of having to pass through Egerton, where you begin to negotiate compensation, which could take one or two years before some people will agree to quit their locations and so on. So we held a confab inviting Akwa Ibom and Cross River State Government and community leaders in both states, and former technical consultants who designed the road and other consultants to run commentaries on their designs. At the end of it, we put together all our ministry engineers and engineers from the ministry of works in both states to go and work out alterative which they did and eventually all of them agreed. By the new agreed design, the road is coming out at Adiabo and it would pass through some communities in Odukpani including Creek Town, which is longer in distance, but lesser in cost. But to suggest that we would go ahead and implement that contract denominated in US Dollars would mean that at the unstable exchange rate, the contract would be open-ended. So at any given time, Nigerians would not know the naira equivalent spent on the contract which is why I felt we must do a thorough thing once and for all, because as it were, if they started or even if they were going to start on that condition, it would mean that until the end of the contract, nobody would ever know how much worth it would mean. Thank God we have got alternative designs. We have also got the contractor who signed in to do the job. We invited him to come and see the reality, quote according to what this component design entails. That is the state at which we are. We invited them because, we do not want anybody to insinuate that it is because we want to change contractors for ulterior motives that is why we are disagreeing with the first things they did. But if they fail to do that, we must be more interested in the welfare of our people and the economy of our country than patronizing people just on the basis of being contractors. So we hope that we get the response very soon. We are having the president also to give his view on that. Once that is done, we would go ahead to the next phase of signing a proper contract. For me there has been no contract on that matter because I don’t see how a sovereign nation with its own monetary and fiscal policies will be denominating its contract awards in foreign currency when all the components are locally sourced including labour. For me that is fraud.
What would you say you have achieved since took over?
Our achievement in the ministry is trying to shape the ministry and giving a new value orientation to the people is quite important. When we said we were going to carry out a technical audit of all the projects it was vehemently resisted by all those you can guess to be concerned. But with determination we did and it has shown that we have been unfair to ourselves in terms of the resource application vis-à-vis the outcomes. In a region that cries for development, because of the peculiar circumstances we find that the average period for completion of a particular project is 5 years inspite of the nature of the project and yet we have only 12 per cent project completion rate and 8 per cent impact. Of course all these analyses we applied standard global performance indices and you see that the only projects that have been completed have been by us within the one year. Whereas in the past there has been a façade of attempts to commission projects that were not completed at all.
To Nigerians it may look meaningless, but without a good foundation there cannot be an established structure. Like I said the other works that are physical are continuing. We are applying our funds to them. But we have within period done something. The action plan of the ministry is being revisited and reviewed. We have also in collaboration with the UNDP done a baseline survey and we have got their report which was presented for ratification. When it is ratified it therefore means it will be ready for submission at any level for to secure assistance. Again, the process of our procurement or anything to be done in the ministry is getting a new lease and of course, you will expect that with all we are trying to initiate, our administration would remain unpopular as long as we are doing what we are trying to do. The reason is because they are those who don’t see anything good in what we are doing. But I believe that by the time we finish they will be happier.
How about the issue of insecurity and violence in the region?
To address the issue of insecurity and violence in the region, one needs to ask the first question, what is their reason? I have always been a crusader of the fact that the rate of disuse of the environment in the region demands specific, peculiar, special attention. However beyond that point, I am also aware that not much attention since the time of oil exploitation has been given to the region. But we thank God within the last one decade government started to look in that direction. In which case our rational action should have been to wait and see how government progresses with us, not just this administration. But instead to find unprovoked violence is what evoked curiosity in our minds to ask why. And our findings in these questions suggest more sinister motives than just lack of development in the region.
So I think what is happening in our region in this violence perspective is a hurt to ourselves and we may not survive it beyond a certain time.
There are people who feel the president has not been fair to the Niger Delta?
Even those who are saying the president is not doing well enough in their hearts know that they are not telling the truth. Because inspite of the UNEP report of Ogoni clean up, who has ever initiated action if not this president? And inspite of the fact that the amnesty programme was supposed to terminate in December 2015, did this administration not extend it? It is one of the major programmes the president has even attempted to give express approval for money to be drawn from special accounts to fund. So by what means should anyone suggest that the administration of the president in particular is not fair to the Niger Delta region. By my special access to what is going on, a lot of what goes on is about 2019. They are determined that this administration must fail. According to such persons, these administration must not be allowed to have money, to function so that they will be voted out in 2019. And the sponsors are big. If they hear this they will want to crucify me, but I own it up because I know. I am not speculating.
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Uyo Church Disaster: Governor inaugurates panel of enquiry
Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom has inaugurated a Panel of Inquiry to unravel the mystery surrounding last Saturday’s Reigners International Church building collapse which claimed dozens of lives.
Inaugurating the Commission in Uyo, the state capital, Emmanuel charged them to do a thorough job of unraveling the immediate and remote causes of the incident and make recommendations to government.
The seven member panel has Justice Umoekeyo Essang, as Chairman, with Engr. James Utiaruk; Arc. Essien Nkanga; Assistant Commissioner of Police, ACP Abibo; Prophet John Linus; Engr. Asuquo Okon and Engr. James Amiang, as members, while Mrs. Emem Victor Daniel of the Ministry of Justice, Uyo, would serve as Secretary.
The Commission which would commence sitting on Friday, is saddled with the responsibility to: “investigate and probe the immediate and remote causes of the collapse building; examine the roles played by any person, institutions and authorities, as well as establishing the consequences of such roles.”
“It commission would also identify and indict any person, institutions and authorities responsible either remotely or immediately and appropriate sanctions and examine all the circumstances surrounding the collapsed structure and make recommendations to the government.”
Meanwhile, from the 10 hospitals and clinics hosting several victims of the Church crash, over 50 patients were discharged on Thursday.
Among those sent home from the hospitals were the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Udom Emmanuel, Ekerete Udoh; the Chief Protocol, Edmond Uffang, and others.
Meanwhile, institutions and individuals affected have continued to mourn victims of the accident.
The Alumni Association of the University of Uyo that lost some students in the crashed commiserated with the government, the Church and the people of the State.
The President of the Association, Prof. Gabriel Umoh, described the incident as tragic and prayed for the reposed of the souls of those affected and the fortitude to bear the loss by the families of those affected.
Sympathisers have continued to throng the scene of the accident to offer prayers for the repose of the souls of their dear ones and for God to heal the wounds nursed by families of those affected.
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Uyo returns with Akwa Ibom Xmas Carol
•As Glo-support show holds this weekend
Perhaps the next event that would enliven the mood of the people of Akwa Ibom State, following last week’s collapse of the Reigners Bible International church building that left several worshipers dead, will be the annual Akwa Ibom State Christmas Carol Festival, billed to take place this Saturday, at the Uyo Township Stadium.
Next generation network, Globacom, which supported the event in 2015 has announced its readiness to sponsor the event again. Many believe that the event will double as a thanksgiving service for the State at this time. Glo returns as an exclusive telecoms partner for this year’s edition.
The festival, with the theme: “Let Our King Be Lifted High”, is expected to be broadcast live by major television stations, including African Independent Television (AIT), Channels TV, DSTV (on Africa Magic and dedicated channels) and AKBC.
Globacom explained that the success of last year’s carol which had award-winning artistes from all over the world, including two Grammy award winners, informed its decision to sponsor the festival again this year.
“We fully identify with the Akwa Ibom Christmas Carols festival which has become one of the biggest crowd-pulling events of the Yuletide season. Our desire is to follow the passion of Nigerians and connect them with their passion,” the company said in a statement released in Lagos.
According to Globacom, the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Mr. Udom Emmanuel, has already sent a message of appreciation to them for accepting to sponsor this year’s event.
For the 2016 edition of the festival, multiple award-winning international gospel singer, Don Moen, the PRM band from the United Kingdom, the Kenya Boys Choir and the Kayamba Africa Choral Ensemble are billed to perform. Other artistes who will entertain guests at the event are some of the country’s top gospel musicians including Sammie Okposo, Buchi, Steve Crown, Elijah Oyelade, Rev. Fr. Patrick Edet, Esther Edoho, Julius Nglass and Perfecta Ekpo.
The Ibom Orchestra, The Ibom Brass Band and the Akwa Ibom State Government Choir, which put up a brilliant performance in the 2015 edition, will also take turns to thrill the audience. The climax of the show will be the globally acclaimed 10,000-man choir which has a record of rendering remarkable Christmas Carols in a manner that had never been experienced before.
The event is recognised worldwide, and it was cited in the Guinness Book of Records when, in the 2012 edition, it featured a 9,999-member choir which was reputed to be the largest carol choir on the continent at that time.