…Block Calabar-Itu-Odukpani Highway
By Nsan Ndoma-Neji, Calabar
Angry youths of Odukpani community in Odukpani Local Government Area of Cross River State on Monday took to the streets protesting the stoppage of payment of compensation by the Federal Government to community residents who were affected by the construction of the Calabar-Odukpani-Itu federal highway.
The youths in the numbers blocked the highway for over two hours, disrupting vehicular movement along the highway, stressing that they have given the Federal Ministry of Works seven days’ ultimatum to have a re-think and resume payment of compensation to the indigenes or be ready to contend with the community locals.
What angered the community locals most was the suspension of payment of compensation to the residents, who are already captured by government’s registered estate valuers and surveyors, by the Ministry of Works, under the watch of Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola.
The youths, in a statement signed by two of their leaders, Mr. Asuquo Ukpanyang and Barr. Ekpenyong Akiba, sighted by National Compass correspondent, stated that they have given a seven-day ultimatum to enable the Federal Government have a re-think and resolve the issue stressing that Monday’s protest is a warning protest.
The aggrieved youths stated that what they had done is a notice of intention to embark on total halt of construction activities by of the two companies handling the road construction project until all outstanding compensations are paid to approved claimants in affected communities.
Other allegations levelled against the Minister of Works includes the sponsorship of a memo to the Federal Executive Council, FEC, since October 2019, where a resolution was reached committing the Cross River State government to inherit payment of associated compensation, to secure the right for the construction of federal roads.
The statement reads in part, “Kindly note that the honourable minister, sponsored and secured the consent of the Federal Executive Council, without consulting and coming to an agreement with state governors.
“Some of the host communities, who have been officially documented as claimants to structures, economic trees and crops, within the right of way of the Odukpani-Itu-Ikot Ekpene dualization project and Odukpani people are being victimized by this FEC resolution and by extension the honourable Minister of Works is to be blamed.
“The Hon Minister engaged estate surveying and valuing firms to assess and prepare a valuation report for payment of compensation to the affected communities.
“The honourable minister approved same reports for payments of compensation to the affected host communities, but now (through his FEC sponsored resolution) referring it to state governments for same payments. This is confusing.”
