General News
SOME communities along Calabar/Itu/Uyo road have demanded the payment of compensation or they would stop work on the ongoing dualisation of the highway.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the communities made this demand at a news conference in Calabar on Wednesday.
The communities noted that while several of them had been rendered homeless by the road dualisation, many had also lost their means of livelihoods.
They wondered why the Federal Government is using divide and rule method on the payment of compensation to the affected people on the highway.
The Clan Head of Okpokom, Dr Nya Asuquo, who spoke on behalf of the aggrieved communities, said non-payment of compensation was delaying progression of work on the road that linked Cross River to Akwa Ibom.
He said that efforts by the Federal Government to shift the payment of compensation to the state governments would not augur well for the ongoing construction work.
“It is pertinent to note that in the same contract of road project, particularly in the portion awarded to Julius Berger, work is progressing smoothly, the compensation was paid and handled by the Federal Government and not state.
“Why will the same Federal Government hands-off compensation on the same road project in the portion awarded to other contractors,” he asked.
Asuquo, a former member of the House of Representatives, said the failure to pay compensation to the other affected persons turned them to beggars.
According to him, “The people of Mbiabo Ikot Offiong and others where the project traverses have been rendered homeless and their means of livelihoods destroyed without provision of an alternative since the contractor, Sematech Construction moved to site and started clearing without payment.
“We demand compensation that is due to be paid to the affected communities, particularly the Mbiabo Ikot Offiong axis from Okpokom River to Itu Bridge.
“This is where records are available on the level of means of livelihood that have been destroyed and the people are roaming around homelessly.
“Our prayer is simple, Federal Government in one policy of government should not apply differently in the same country on the same citizens.
“The right thing should be done; compensation should be paid before work can continue,” he said.
Mr Babatunde Fashola, Minister of Works and Housing, had on a recent inspection of the highway, expressed concern that encroachment into right of way was hindering progress of work of the project.
The minister, represented by Mr Folorunsho Esan, Director of Construction and Rehabilitation in the ministry, noted that aside the challenges of right of way, the ministry had overcome the issue of funding on the project.
He had stated that it was now the duty of the state governments to help resolve the issues of right of ways where a federal road project was being constructed.
The minister had appealed to Gov. Ben Ayade of Cross River to help resolve that of Itu-Odupkani road dualisation so that the contractor could complete the work on schedule.
The Federal Government had in December, released N185 billion for the dualisation of the road.
The dualisation was divided into three sections and the contract awarded to Julius Berger PLC, China Civil Engineering Construction Company (CCECC) and SERMATECH Nigeria Limited. (NAN)
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Tags: Federal Government of Nigeria
