Ogar, Monday/ Nkanu Confidence
The Clan Head of Uyanga in Akamkpa local government area, Ophot Felix Akong has accused successive Cross River State governments of abandoning Uyanga community with respect to government community projects.
He said the perennial abandonment of the community by the government is making life unbearable for residents.
The Clan Head who spoke to CrossRiverWatch in his Palace advised the administration of Senator Ben Ayade to look into providing basic needs like water and power for the community, something that they have not had for close to seven years.
“The community suffers a lot due to lack of water. During the tenure of Donald Duke, a big over-head water tank was commissioned as part of the Uyanga model city which was suppose to comprise of a Magistrate court, a cottage hospital and some other basic facilities.
“Immediately those who came for the commissioning left, everything stopped working. The cottage hospital is now a medical center and the water tank has been overtaken by weeds.
“Every year we are made to suffer for water especially during the dry season. Look at my house, there is no water anywhere as we are left with the stream to quench our taste and solve other water related problems”
The Clan Head also appealed to the government of Senator Ben Ayade to increase the stipend of N7, 500 that the government gives them every month, as it barely sustains their office even for a day.
Also speaking to CrossRiverwatch, the Youth Leader of Uyanga, Mr. Fabian Ogbonye, reechoed the problems enumerated by the Clan Head.
“For more than seven years we have been in total darkness on this side. We have made effort in contacting the government to no avail; we have even made private contributions for the purchase of transformer.
“We have seen were government has been giving out transformers to other communities but has abandoned this area. The past administration acted as if we never existed except during elections.
“Not long ago I saw a truck loaded with over thirty transformers heading towards Ogoja and it just confirms our assertion that the government has neglected us. It seems all government projects end at the Akamkpa.”
The youth leader also complained about the lack of job opportunities available to the youths of the community despite being host to the Eng Huat Rubber plantation.
“When you hear of cult activities and violence in our community, it is linked to the unemployment that the community suffers from even with a rubber plantation.
“Some of our youths have trained themselves to the university expecting to work in the rubber plantation upon graduation, but the plant is filled with foreigners, how and when they were employed we don’t know. None of our indigene works there.”
The youth leader said that if the community can have portable water and job opportunities, it will go a long way in restoring trust and respect for the government and its institutions in the community.
CrossRiverWatch investigations revealed that the Uyanga Community which has two stone quarries and one of the biggest rubber plantation in Nigeria, has one medical center with no resident doctor and the community relies on the stream and a surface well within Uyanga Model Town, which was commissioned by Donald Duke, for its basic water needs.
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