Cross River, Acting Governor Expresses satisfaction at Bakassi Project (22/7/08)

The Acting Governor of Cross River State Hon Francis Adah has expressed satisfaction with the level of work at the resettlement quarters of New Bakassi Local Government Area Headquarters at Obufa Obutong.

While fielding questions from pressmen at the end of an on the spot inspection Monday, Adah said there was hope that a greater part of the project will be executed before the final handing over date of august 14, when the Peninsular will be finally ceded to Republic of Cameroon.

Adah disclosed that even if the project is not fully completed before the deadline, he is satisfied that about 90 percent of the job will be attained, stating that the three contractors that have not been on site have been given up till the next day to report or their contracts will be terminated because they had been mobilized.

The Acting Governor called on the contractor handling the construction of the road network within the area to redo some of the portions where faults were detected.

Briefing the Acting Governor, a Consultant with the project, Engr. Francis Oyo Ita though said work was going on schedule, three contractors were not on site, adding that roofing, plumbing, painting and electrical fittings have commenced with the completion of civil work while construction of internal road net work is in progress as the pegging of electrical poles had commenced.

The Acting Governor had earlier visited the refugees transit camp at Government Primary Schools Ikang, where he was received by the Secretary to the State Emergency Management Agency SEMA) Mr. Vincent Aqua.

Addressing the refugees, Adah said he was happy they were healthy as government was doing everything to ensure they are well taken care of while admonishing them to be peaceful and law abiding.

He advised them to route their complaints through SEMA for Government to intervene promptly because it is sensitive to their plight.

A spokesman, of the refugees, Mr. Okon Ene in an appreciation, thanked the state for its quick response to their plight, disclosing that their fear that with the nullification of the election of Senator Liyel Imoke as Governor of Cross River, Government patronage would cease had been erased with the visit of the Acting Governor.

Ene commended the State Government, agencies and NGOs for attending to their needs.

Briefing the Acting Governor earlier, Aqua said the population lof the refugees at the camp had been reduced to 2,900 persons with 899 children being enrolled in the primary school while the agency has received an additional 288 people as some of the refugees have been relocated.

Aqua noted that the activities of the Agency are constrained with the absence of transportation as it spends about N322,000 every week on transportation while it is making efforts to ensure their accommodation meets UN principles.

A Staff of SEMA in charge of distribution of items, Mrs. Aniema Ekpenyong, said food items and other donated materials are shared among the refugees according to the fishing ports where they came from.

According Ekpenyong, there are 41 fishing ports and the refugees are attended to on that basis rather than on their state of origin while commending NGOs that have assisted the agencies in bringing succour to refugees through their various donations.

Government House Press