Fresh crisis brews in C’River cocoa sector over new govt policy
From Aniekan Aniekan, Calabar
Fresh crisis appears to be brewing in the cocoa sector of Cross River State over the state government’s new policy on cocoa allocation.
This follows a developing dispute between cocoa investors who rented plots of government owned estates during the previous administration in the state.
The investors believe that the new policy of government is inimical to not just their investment but the overall development of the cocoa sector of the state.
The crux of their anger with the state government centres on the recent
inauguration of Cocoa Allocation Committee by the Cross River State Government.
The investors are displeased that the setting up of new allocation committee and it’s terms of reference was at variance with the already enforced consent judgement between cocoa landlords communities and the state government.
Years ago, following the refusal of succeeding administrations in the state to pay royalties to some landlord communities, affected landlords
dragged the state government to court over indebtedness of rents and royalties owed them.
The High Court ordered the state government to defray the indebtedness via the Smart-gov platform.
The landlords communities also secured a consent judgement in suit NO.HE/16/2013 where the High court ordered that the indebtedness be defrayed by state government through the Smart-gov platform account in line with the consent judgement.
To ensure that all matter relating to payment of debt owed the landlord communities be laid to rest, state government opted for and approved lease of 6 years whereby small holders farmers in line with the executed High Court ¹judgement dated August 13, 2021 with the representative (Attorneys), of landlord Communities be fully executed.
The immediate past administration however in it’s wisdom allocated 1,415 hectares of cocoa farmlands to farmers leaving out a total of 3,137 hectares to be allocated by the present administration with landlords Communities having seventy percent allocation.
The recent action of the government where the consent judgment seems to have been jetissioned is causing ripples in the sector
Odu John, one of the investors said, “I feel so surprised that Government can make such a hasty decision on allocation of cocoa farms without considering giving us the privilege to make input in this matter”.
Another investor, Iyadim, Iyadim, in his argument said, that Government is continuum, advocating for a committee to be set up by the Cross River State government to Investigate if those who invested in the cocoa value chain actually paid money into state government account or the account of private individuals.
“I call on the state Government to first of all find out if due process was actually followed by previous Administration with regards to payment of allocation fee. If yes Government should allow the old arrangements to thrive”. He Said.
Also speaking, Secretary, Cocoa Landlord Communities Committee, Chief Asu Ndep, said, “All these new policies made by state government are completely out of context. Because its directly trying to disrupt the Smart gov.platform that assisted us to claim the debt state government was owing the cocoa landlords communities
“We are conversant with a template which was secured after we took Government to court and we got court ruling in our favour.
“Government couldn’t have set up a new allocation committee without giving landlord Committee privilege to fix in two of our members to represent us.
“For any allocation committee to be set up, landlord Communities must have two of it’s members as representatives.
While lauding the Ayade’s administration for clearing backlogs of arrears of royalties were paid, Ndep said, “We commend previous administration for making sure that backlogs of arrears of rent/royalties are paid through the Smart.gov platform.
The investors urged the state government not to breach the two consent judgement which had been enforced so as not to expose the community in chaotic situation.
