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

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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.


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