B Torobong Ekpo
I have gone through a strong worded petition on abandoned Niger Delta
Development Commission (NDDC) projects in Akwa Ibom State, signed by
one Chief Okon Jim for and on behalf of Akwa Ibom Integrity Group.
It is one petition that listed three hundred and seventy seven (377)
abandoned projects of NDDC spread across the three Senatorial Districts
of the state within the reign of PDP led government.
A closer
look at the projects shows that, Nsit Ubium, where Ambassador Sam Edem, a
former MD of NDDC hails, tops chart with 22 abandoned projects.
Of course, there is no need recalling how Sam Edem was ousted from
office, but critics wonder why 22 projects were abandoned in Nsit Ubium.
Esit Eket Local Government Area, another domain of former MD NDDC, Barr Dan Abia (Snr) has 15 abandoned projects.
There is no need analyzing those projects in Onna, Uyo, Ukanafun, Oruk
Anam among others, coz if I do women, youths, children and even elders
may be forced to rain curses on those PDP leaders and appointees who sat
and watch such unthoughtfulness and abandoned projects spread across
this State.
They may be provoked to burn those wrappers and umbrellas given to them by those sets of PDP leaders.
They will be left with no choice than wait to vote them out in forthcoming elections in the State.
Imagine, Oro nation with only five local government areas had a total of 49 abandoned projects courtesy of PDP led government!
What of Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District where a native of that entity
ruled this state for 8 years? Could you believe that 103 projects were
abandoned just like that as shown by Akwa Ibom Integrity Group?
The case was worse in Uyo Senatorial district. No need exhuming the
eyesore. I wish to commend the initiator for unravelling this fact for
the public to know.
I may not know if the gimmicks is the
continuation of alleged loggerhead between Deacon Udom Emmanuel and his
successor as was copiously reported in print and social media some
months ago.
But one wonders why the anomaly are x-rayed, with
commissioner for works, Mr. Ephraim Inyang openly criticizing the former
government which he knows was dominated by PDP from the centre to the
ward level.
It is glaring, if these projects were not abandoned,
by now at least our state would have had additional roads, electricity,
solar light, health centres, water, classroom blocks among others.
Do we need to talk about State government abandoned projects?
Who could recall Ibom Tropicana which was supposed to gulp only 33
billion at the take off? Where is the project at the moment? Abandoned!
What of Uyo - Ikot Ekpene road, Ibaka Deep Seaport, Ibom Science Park,
cottage hospitals in Ibeno, Ikot Abasi, Ukanafun, security villages
across the state? These are very few of abandoned projects within the
State.
If you add the number of abandoned projects within the
State and that of NDDC, I am sure the number may increase to 500
abandoned projects.
Please no one should remember the 31
industries that the immediate past governor promised during
electioneering campaign in Mkpat Enin LGA. We may describe such pledge
as POLITICS OF PDP.
Each time I take a review into the
negligence by previous government, I come to a conclusion that we, the
young ones should apologize to our children for the wrongs of our
parents.
Already, as the watchdog of the society, we have so far
disappointed 22nd century Researchers and Historians who will want to
know the exact number of victims of kidnapping and assassination
perpetrated in this State between 2007 and 2015.
For now, no
exact figure could be ascertained, thus, I must commend Chief Jim for
the fact finding analysis of the abandoned NDDC projects. It will help
in educating our younger generation on how our State was governed before
they were born.
Whether he is sponsored by the State government
of the day (as alleged) in order for the Federal Government to use
CHANGE BEGINS WITH ME Mantra of Mr President to probe those who
abandoned the projects, I think he deserves an award.
However, we need to verify those behind the abandoned projects.
I think if we clearly check the documents of NDDC from 2007 till 2015,
we will be rest assured of where the wrongs emanated from.
I
could recall some months ago that the Vice President and management of
newly constituted NDDC urged contractors to return to their project
sites. Then, I was wondering why they made that statement only to find
out that it was as a result of abandoned projects.
Though I am
aware of some petitions by right thinking members of the society sent to
the presidency praying that contractors of abandoned projects be
queried or return to site, one question on the lips of all and sundry is
who abandoned these projects?
Records show that the bulk of
these projects were abandoned between 2007 and 2015 under the "sleeping"
eyes of President Goodluck Jonathan and Senator Godswill Akpabio as
governor of our dear State .
I understand that throughout that
period too, the MD of NDDC as well as commissioners were members of
Peoples Democratic Party.
During that era, Jonathan visited this
State many times, yet no one, not even the governor drew his attention
to the abandoned projects.
Could it be that the governor was
insensitive to the plights of the people? Or was the president
incompetent? It's is annoying that we had bread in our mouth, only to
end up feasting on stones.
Little wonder why Akwa Ibomites were
not appointed into Federal Government boards, ministries and
parastatals. Yet, we had Mr. President as Niger Deltan and Akpabio as
Annang man.
Rather than enumerating our plights to then President, we were busy struggling powers and what have you.
Kudos to President Muhammadu Buhari who has deemed it fit to appoint so
many Akwa Ibomites into boards, commissions, ministries and FEC.
Kudos to appointees who have not disappointed us like that former MD NDDC, from PDP extraction who was incarcerated.
It behooves on our electorates and natives to see how and what the past PDP government put the entire State into.
Even the present government appears to be towing the line of the former.
For instance, while APC government through NDDC has constructed former
Nsentip and Ukana offot dead traps into street, Udom led administration
is busy sacking 5000 teachers... How does he want the sacked ones to
feed, talkless of feeding their families?
Yesterday, we read on
the internet a petition sent from the Itu Local Government Council,
where the chairman indicted the First Lady and other stakeholders of
'fingering' with Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) meant for the
ordinary people in the area. What a sad tale! The rich are getting
richer and the poor poorer.
While Federal Government is trying
to construct Old Itu Road in Ikot Ekpene LGA, internal roads within
Federal Housing Estate as well as dole out 60 jobs for bidding, Udom led
administration is abandoning Ibaka Deep seaport, Tropicana, etc., which
would have employed so many Akwa Ibomites.
It's a pity that PDP
led governments have placed us in such a stage where our projects are
wantonly abandoned. It's a pity that we have no one to talk to.
Even Akwa Ibom Integrity Group couldn't address the petition to anyone,
nor state the exact office of the group, thus showcasing hopelessness on
the part of the group.
Indeed, we are hopeless, but there is hope.
Our vote could change and turn our sorrow into joy. We can collectively
stop this owl that is waking us up from our pleasant dreams.
If
the entirety of electorates in Nigeria could vote out PDP and Goodluck
Jonathan, if after that, EFCC could recover billions of naira from PDP
former appointees; If Nigeria could once (after 17 years) be seen as
giant of Africa; then, there is hope only if electorate will forget the
rice, wrappers, cash and vote their conscience.
Of course no
good conscience will vote for a party which will abandon projects. No
reasonable conscience will vote for a party with divided national
leadership.
No good conscience will vote for a party where IGR will be spread among cabal.
I weep for Akwa Ibom... Only our vote will take us to Promise Land, which our State represents.
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