By Nsan Ndoma-Neji, Calabar
A Calabar-based human rights lawyer, Ntufam Mba Ukweni, SAN, has charged the Cross River State governor, Senator Bassey Otu, to heed to advice of the state Solicitor-General on the contentious cocoa allocation issues in Etung Local Government are6a of the state so that matters dosen’t go out of hand.
Ukweni gave the appeal yesterday in Calabar, shortly after a Calabar Magistrate court failed to grant bail to former aide to immediate past Governor Ben Ayade on Cocoa Development and Control, Ntufam Dr Oscar Ofuka, who had been in critical condition in the last three weeks, after he slumped in court.
Ofuka’s ordeal with Governor Otu’s administration began following the allocation of hectares of cocoa to people during the era of immediate past administration, where the allocation spanned beyond Ayade’s tenure.
Although the allocation was done by the Ayade administration, following two consent judgments of the state High Court, which ordered the previous to extend the allocation for 1415 hectares from the total 4000 hectares of cocoa to be leased out so that the administration can have money to off set a 16-year-old debt that the state government owed the cocoa landlords communities of Etung, beginning from the Liyel Imoke administration to Ayade’s administration.
Recall that the cocoa landlords communities of Etung had dragged the government of Prof Ayade to court over the state government’s debt burden, a situation that warranted the state high court to order the administration of Prof Ayade to make all payments regarding to cocoa allocation through a smart.gov platform, that made it possible for tbe landlord communities to be getting thier royalties upon payment into the state government coffers
Following the consent judgments, exact time money is paid for the allocation, the money would automatically split into three units, 49.5 per cent would move straight into the account of the cocoa landlords communities, 40.5 per cent moves into the account of internal revenue service, which belongs to the Cross River State government, while 10 per cent goes to the account of Cocoa Development and Control Office.
Reasons for the court decision was to prevent the embarrassment associated with garnishing of Cross River State government account to satisfy indebtedness and to prevent the cocoa landlords communities from taking over the estate.
Recall also that the Solicitor-General of the state had in a letter, drawn the attention of the state governor to the fact that some individuals in government have their personal interest to protect regarding the conflict that exist in allocation of cocoa in state government-owned cocoa estate.
Again recall that the Solicitor-General of the state had on July 27, 2023 written a letter, Ref. Number MOJ/SG/PS/ Vol.1/197 to the state governor with fourteen documents attached, advising the state government on way forward regarding consent judgments given by court, and on the need for the consent judgments to be honoured.
Speaking against the backdrop of the ongoing ordeal that Ayade’s former aide, Dr. Ofuka is going through in the hands of Prince Otu’s administration, Ukweni called for caution, warning that should anything goes wrong with Ofuka, consequences must follow, given the fact that Ofuka was only an agent to the immediate past administration and not the one in charge
of government, stressing that monies that was received for allocation were paid into account of the state government and not into Ofuka ‘s pocket.
The human rights lawyer accused the Secretary to the State Government, SSG, Prof Anthony Owan, of being behind Ofuka’s travails, simply because he has personal interest that he been protecting.
He said, “Most of you are aware of this problem. It is the cocoa in Etung. I must be frank to state clearly that the SSG, Prof. Enoh, using the state Security Adviser, retired Maj. Gen. Okoi Obono, now wants to eliminate my client.
“Most of them had been working behind to appropriate the farm and sell part of it. There’s a vast portion of land they want to sell to one Mark Prince. It was Ofuka who met with the governor in their presence and let the governor know that that parcel of land does not belong to Mark Prince ‘s late grandfather.
“And that there is even a judgement of the court in favour of the state government.
“There have been various litigations in respect of this, we have even have an order of High court of Etung.”
Ofuka, who is standing trial, had during appearance at the magistrate court on allegation of murder, after the death of one of the workers at the cocoa estate, was latter ordered to be taken to the police clinic, where he can have access to medical attention because of his ill health.
However Sthe SSG, Enoh and the state Security Adviser, Obono, had since denied their involvement in Ofuka’s travail.
