Seven fishing communities in Eastern Obolo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State have accused a firm operated by Indians in the area, Sterling Petrochemical and Fertiliser Company, of blocking their waterways to other communities in the stateCONTINUE FULL READING>>>>>
The allegation came amid confirmation of a cholera outbreak in one of the affected communities, Emere-oke.
Other trapped communities are: Ikonta, Obianga, Okoroinyong, Egwenwe, Iwofe and Amazaba.
According to leaders of the communities who addressed the press on Saturday, the blockage had caused them inconveniences.
The village head of Emere-oke 11, Joshua Ayagwung, who spoke on behalf of other traditional rulers at the press conference, accused the company of negligence
He lamented that the obstruction had caused untold hardship to the residents as they were unable to access medical care for the sick in the midst of the ravaging cholera disease, which he said, had claimed more than 20 lives.
“As we speak, members of these communities are trapped and are unable to access medical care for the sick and daily necessities, especially now that suspected cases of cholera have already claimed over 20 lives in one of the host communities.
In 2022, the Akwa Ibom State Government, during former governor Udom Emmanuel’s administration, acquired 1,736 hectares of land belonging to the people for the operations of the company.
However, Ayagwung claimed that since the company began operation in 2022, the communities had been subjected to all kinds of intimidations and high-handedness, including non-compliance with extant and applicable environmental laws and global best practices
He argued that the 1,736 hectares of land excluded the ancient rivers of Okolo Obianga/Ikonta and Okolo Otuita and other creeks, which serve as federal navigable waterways, adding that the company had exceeded the agreed hectares by over 1,200 hectares.
“We demand that SPFL must immediately reopen all blocked waterways and creeks, and restore them to their original state to allow the people to have unhindered access in and out of their ancestral communities and maintain their traditional occupation of fishing,” the monarch stated.
He called on the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, National Security Adviser, the Inspector General of Police, and the Comptroller General of Nigerian Immigration Service to investigate and prosecute any illegal Indian immigrant found within Eastern Obolo in particular and Akwa Ibom State at large.
The Regional Manager of Sterling Petrochemical, Col. Amit Gush, could not be accessed for reaction as of the time of filing this report as calls and messages sent to his phone did not go through.
The Chief Press Secretary to the state governor, Ekerete Udoh, simply said, “I will talk to you later” when contacted. But he has yet to call back, nor answer the calls put to him subsequently.CONTINUE FULL READING>>>>>
