community

THE  Opirikwu-Igede Edi  Community in Yala Local Government Area  of Cross River has blamed poor network service for stalling voter registration in the area.

The community appealed to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to help in solving the problem of the poor network to  have smooth voter registration in the area.

Mr Patrick Agogo, who is a former councillor of  Igede Ward in the area, disclosed this while speaking to newsmen in Calabar on Thursday, said that through community effort, they were able to get one registration machine.

According to him, the machine only worked for two days in two Polling units in Opirikwu Community due to very bad network.

“Many had  been left unregistered owing to bad network despite our assistance to the staff of INEC who were on ground for the PVC registration in the community.

“It is also unfortunate that only one machine was brought for the whole community; all these made it near impossible to register members of the community.

“We appeal to INEC  to without delay look for alternative means to get the over 4,000 persons who are unable to be registered due to bad network to participate in the Permanent Voter Card (PVC) registration,” he said.

Speaking further, Agogo said the community had been abandoned by the state and Federal Government as it was inaccessible due to bad roads which kept development at bay.

He said the two  wooden bridges, Ehum Odudu to Oyoba road bridge, Ehum Operikwu to Owere road bridge that linked the community to other communities in Yala LGA, were now very old since they were locally constructed by the community.

“You cannot drive to my community today because your vehicle would be stuck in mud until the dry season comes, how can a community in such a condition  witness development, It would be difficult.

“We are appealing for the construction of new bridges to link the community to other parts of the state as the old wooden  bridges have almost collapsed.

“As a People, we deserve electricity, portable drinking water for our people to live healthily; we have been so marginalised,” he said.

He added that they were in dire need of government presence to look into the plight of the communities in the area as the heavy downpours had worsened their condition by totally disconnecting them from other communities in the state. (NAN)

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Tags: Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Opirikwu-Igede Edi Permanent Voter Card (PVC)