Efio-Ita Nyok|30 March 2016|5:47am
There has been an ongoing scuffle between avowed critics of and ardent sympathisers of the Executive Governor of Cross River State Sen. Prof. Ben Ayade. This imbroglio concern itself with the justification and otherwise of embarking on the gargantuan programme referred to as the Super Highway, a three lane dual capacity highway beginning from Akamkpa through to Obudu, the local government area of origin of the governor.
Barr. Joseph Odok, a popular critic of the Ben Ayade administration has demonstrated through an article that there are some irregularities and illegalities surrounding the revocation of right of ownership of land belonging to affected Cross Riverians through which the high way is routed. He particularly emphasises the fact that the idea that these right of ownership of land is been revoked without compensation to the original owners by the state government unlike the norm as practiced by previous administrations of Donald Duke and Liyel Imoke smacks of injustice.
Below are the words with which Barr. Odok berates Paul Ojeka, one of the numerous media aides and evident sympathisers of His Excellency Sen. Prof. Ben Ayade.
Paul Ojeka, which man will undertake a project without counting cost? How much has the governor saved to guarantee us that he is serious in the super high way deal?
What is the environmental and social impact assessment of the super high way. I see that you are just hypnotized and lacking proper assessment of issues. How many people will loss their land as a result of the super high way and what effort is made for compensation?
*Let me educate you that Ayade's government has proved itself a government of illegalities rectified by the rubber stamped legislators in the state house of Assembly. If the House of Assembly were a serious set of people, they would not have legalized illegalities. Any revocation of right of occupancy has compensation as a legal requirement as provided in the Land Use Act. How many people will lose their farm land? How many will be unemployed. How many people has the governor employed to justify the unemployment drive through the super high way? So far what impact has the governor made besides the timber he has began logging in Boki.
Last week three timber load of wood traced to the governor from the harvested area of the super high way were shifted. Do you pretend the governor has any interest rather than harvesting our forest? Face the questions raised and stop acting as a paid attack dog to divert attention.
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Could it be true that the Ben Ayade-led administration of Cross River State has an ulterior motive of vested interest which it wishes to perpetrate using the Super High Way nay the Signature Project as a gloss over? Or, is Barr. Joseph Odok attacking the state government in a mere malicious campaign to discredit the goodwill of His Excellency, Ayade? The reader has the right to decide?
Efio-Ita Nyok
Is a Blogger & the Editor of Negroid Haven
