Rice Mill: Mbiabere-Ikpe Indigenes Blast Udom... Say Governor Lied

-
By Mfon Okon

 Barely two weeks after the State Governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel commissioned a controversial rice mill in Mbiabere-ikpe, Ini Local Government Area, concerned indigenes of the area on Monday came out in large number and lambasted the Governor for saying that his administration has built and commissioned a rice mill in the Area.
It was observed that the governor during this year's Christmas Carol Night and Christmas message to the Akwa Ibom people, said that his administration has built over 15 industries in the State including toothpick, pencil and a rice mill in Ini Local Government Area.
The indigenes of Mbiabere-ikpe in a press briefing held on Monday in Uyo, told Journalists that the State Government has not built any rice mill in the area, and that the only rice mill built in the area is a private enterprise owned by Engr. Aniekan Utuk; which the governor was invited as the guest of honour on the day the mill was commissioned.
It could be recalled that there was contending question in the State on the rightful owners of the mill and to clear the air, concerned indigenes of  Mbiabere-ikpe on Monday disclosed that the mill is a private business of one Engr. Aniekan Utuk.
According to the spokesperson of the area, Mr. Michael Ebium, “the rice mill is privately owned by Engr. Aniekan Utuk and the mill is not Public Private Partnership”.
“It was a surprise to hear that the governor after the commissioning ceremony which he was invited as a guest of honour, went ahead to claim the project as one of the factories built by his administration in the State”. Michael Ebium explained.
Ebium maintined that rice farm in Mbiabere-ikpe was established many years ago before the Independence of Nigeria and was later taken over by Ministry of Agriculture and World Bank in 1975 which according to him, he is a living witness. He said that the State Governor is taking Akwa Ibom people for granted by saying that he has built rice farm and mill in the area.
Another member of the community who spoke at the event, Chief Sunday Ekpe, said that it is very unfortunate that despite high rate of unemployment in the State, the governor is still cajoling the poor masses wit mirage projects just to win his second term in office at the detriment of the people.
Chief Ekpe said that there is no rice farm or mill built by the government in Mbiabere-ikpre, and that the only mill in the area is owned by Engr. Anikan Utuk. According to him, the mill employs only 10 workers including a security guard.
“I am surprised that Governor Udom is saying that rice mill built and commissioned in Mbiabere-ikpe can employ over 15,000 workers. I am wondering where the mill is located in Mbiabere-ikpe,” the visibly angry Chief Sunday Ekpe said.
On his part, Mr. Nathaniel Okon, a youth leader in Mbiabere-ikpe who was so furious about what he termed “deliberate and consistent deceit of Governor Udom Emmnauel on the youths of the area”, said that he is angry to hear that the State Government came and commissioned an individually owned firm in Mbiabere-ikpe and then took the pictures and spread them on social and print media claiming that it is the rightful owner.
Okon also disclosed that Governor Udom once came to Mbiabere-ikpe and deceived them that his government will build a rice farm in the area and the people donated over 10,000 hectares of land. According to him up till now there no such farm in the area.
The youth leader also said that the people of Mbaibere-ikpe are suffering as many of them do not have land anymore to farm as the one donated to government for rice project have not been returned to them to continue their normal farming practice.
Comrade Ndifreke Ikpe who also spoke at the event, urged the entire Akwa Ibom people and the general public to ignore whatsoever claim made by the State Government and it agents that there is a rice mill built by the government in Mbiabere-ikpe, as such industry is fake and not existent anywhere in Ini Local Government Area.
Ikpe stressed that the people of Mbiabere-ikpe are presently undergoing serious hardship and are in abject poverty and no access road while the governor came there to deceive them with fake industry.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Is Naira Giving Way To Cryptocurrency?

-
Image
By UbongAbasi Ise “Cryptocurrency would do to banks what e-mail do to post office” – Nsuwake Jimmy Not just the Naira, other major fiat currencies such as the Pound Sterling, Dollar, Euros, Francs, Yuan, Yen,   and so on are predicted by some digital money experts to lose their grounds to the emerging digital means of exchange called cryptocurrency, and this would happen in the near future. However, Akwa Ibom State in recent times has witnessed increasing dots of Cryptocurrency exchange outlets especially in Uyo, and this rings the bell to announce that another sort of revolution in the financial sector is on the horizon. Speaking with The Sensor recently, Mr. Udeme Rufus, a Digital Asset/Blockchain consultant, said that the use of this digital currencies would soon become a new norm. According to him, it is believed by the experts that cryptocurrency might wipe out the banks, although this remains to be seen.             But would Cryptocurrency seize the hegemony of f
Read more

5,000 Sacked Teachers: Nwoko Storms Court To Reject New Sole Witness …As AKSG Sets To Recruit 1,000 Fresh Teachers Amidst Litigation

-
Image
By UbongAbasi Ise Following the application by one of the representatives of the 5,000 sacked secondary school teachers, Mr. Ukeme Anwan, seeking a change of a sole witness in Suit CA/C/362/2018 brought before the Court of Appeal sitting in Calabar by the Akwa Ibom State Government, the state Attorney General, Barr. Uwemedimo Nwoko, was in court on 22nd October 2020 to oppose the application. The matter was adjourned to 24th November 2020 for decisions to be taken on motions. In a counter affidavit on 21st October 2020 deposed by Uduak Udo-Udo, a Litigation Officer in the Attorney General Chamber of the Akwa Ibom State Ministry of Justice, the Appellants (Akwa Ibom State Government & 7 ors) rejected the replacement of the sole witness, Mr. Joshua Matthew Ayagwung, with Mr. Ukeme Anwan saying the name of a Respondent could not be replaced at this time The State Government and co claimed that Ukeme Anwan (The Deponent) does not have the consent of his colleagues nor the Respondents
Read more

Blood Trails March 9 Polls In Ukanafun, Essien Udim … As Udo Kierian Allegedly Ruins Oruk Anam elections

-
Image
By UbongAbasi Ise Governorship and the state house of assembly elections have come and gone, not without leaving the people of Ukanafun community in mourning, as indigenes were shot while coming out to perform their civic responsibility on Saturday. At polling unit 004 in Ikot Udo Ossiom in Ward 2, Ukanafun local government area, Ubokutom Sampson, a man of 25 years of age, was allegedly shot by a military personnel claimed to have accompanied the stakeholders of the Peoples’ Democratic Party, PDP, according to an eyewitness who spoke to our correspondent on condition of anonymity.   Sampson was later confirmed dead. Another victim of gunshot at the polling unit was a woman, who was simply described as Mrs. Udom. The source claimed she was also shot by the same soldier who opened fire on Ubokutom Sampson. The woman was said to have been rushed to the hospital for immediate medical attention. According to our source, problem started when the voters at the polling unit
Read more