by crossriverwatch admin
The displaced people of Bakassi in Cross River yesterday recieved cheering news that the Federal Government is set to distribute 40 housing units to them.
Supervising Minister of the Ministry of Niger Delta, Architect Darius Ishaku who broke the news said the distribution of the houses built for the people would soon commence.
Darius made the disclosure in Calabar during a meeting with the Bakassi stakeholders and stressed that the federal Government had concluded modalities to share the houses to beneficiaries.
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It would be recalled that the people of Bakassi had been displaced from their ancestral homes following the ICJ judgment which culminated to the ceding of the oil rich Nigerian region to the Republic of Cameroon.
According to the minister, the meeting was called to discuss with stakeholders on modalities to share the 40 housing units so that at the end of the day, there will be mutual understanding and peaceful co-existence amongst the people.
“Though we have guidelines on how to share the houses, we will still rely on you so that at the end of the day, we will dispose of the houses without crisis”.
Ishaku who said that the modalities recommended by his ministry for sharing is by balloting, further disclosed that the 40 housing units, now 90 percent complete, are the phase one of the project assuring that the phase two will commence as soon as the first phase is completed.
The sharing formula recommended by the ministry according to him is; displaced members of the community to have 40 percent which is 16housing units.
Widows/widowers 15 percent, 6 units, aged/disabled 15 percent 6 units, members of adjourning communities 15 percent 6 units while discretionary will have5 percent ,2 units bringing the total to 40.
The meeting which was in two folds also had a delegation from Imo State. The Imo delegation was also informed by the minister of plans to also share the housing units completed by the Federal Government in Imo.
The delegation which was led by HRH, Eze Anthony of Umuagwu expressed appreciation to the Federal Government for plans to share the houses to his people.
According to Eze Anthony, he and his people had expressed fears that the Federal Government might sell the housing estate to the well placed.
He assured the minister that the housing units in Imo will be shared without rancor.