C’River community berates NDDC, MNDA, others over poor CSR, flays Nigerian Army for ceding land to herdsmen
[From ANIEKAN ANIEKAN, Calabar]
Ikot Effanga Mkpa Town Council in Calabar Municipality has condemned the activities of some agencies of the federal government for treating them shabbily and ignoring their corporate social responsibilities (CSRs).
The Town council is the host community to several agencies of the federal government in Ikot Effanga Community which includes the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs (MNDA), National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in persons (NAPTIP) Cross River Basin Development Authority and the Federal Character Commission.
The community also accused Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs and Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) of neglect and being insensitive to their plight.
Leader of the Town Council Chef Effanga Ineng Effanga who made this known in Calabar also disclosed that the NDDC, Basin Authority has been marginalizing indigenes of Ikot Effanga Mkpa particularly in terms of employment and cited the recent employments in the NDDC where the commission promised ten slots yet not even one was allotted to them as host community.
The community condemned the action of the 146 Battalion of the Nigerian Army at Eburutu barracks for ceding their land to herdsmen for cattle market and abattoirs without the town council consent and approval.
Speaking on the actions of the state government, the leader faulted the State government for not properly managing dump site located within the community which constitutes a major health challenge to other residents in the area.
He said a recycling plant planned for the community which was championed by Winifred Oyo Ita former Head of Service of the Federation has since been abandoned to the detriment of the health of the people.
Besides the dump site, Chief Effanga flayed the Cross-River State Government for seizing two parcel of land in the community namely E1 and E2 without compensating the community.
The Town Council threatened to herders’ protest against the planned commissioning of the new secretariat of the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs and make the environment uncomfortable to their tenants if the status quo is not reversed.
When contacted, Mr. Okorie, a Director in the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs declined comments on the issue stating that by his status he cannot talk to the media.
