Open Forum, a Civil Society Organisation in Akwa Ibom State has made a passionate appeal to Governor Umo Eno to revisit the Ikot-Akpaden, Mkpat Enin Water project that was abandoned over fourteen years ago.
The Founder of Open Forum, Citizen Mathew Kofi Okono in a statement in Uyo at the weekend said the call became necessary following complaints by the elders of the community during a live radio programme about the abandoned water project.
Okono noted that the community elders led by Chief Sunday Akrasi Frank had narrated that the water project which was the only water scheme for the community was executed under the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) during the administration of then Governor Godswill Akpabio in 2011 and was never handed over to them narrating the ordeal faced by the community due to lack of potable water supply.
The statement in parts, “We hereby appeal to the Akwa Ibom State Government to review the project and ensure the water scheme is fully completed and handed over to the community. This will alleviate the suffering of residents of Ikot Akpaden. It will also endear the government to the people.
‘The water was to be reticulated around the community. This has not been done implying that the solar powered water scheme which was never fully completed, hence could not be handed to the village council.”
He said the team also claimed an ongoing environmental hazard in their community occasioned by oil exploitation activities by Sterling Global which includes flaring of gas and pollution of the only water source.
He, therefore called on the Akwa Ibom State Government, through the Ministry of Environment and other relevant agencies to intervene and forestall avoidable hazards even as he said the people had complained about the refusal of management of the Sterling Global to honor their invitation to resolve areas of concerns.
Okono also urged the state government to renovate the abandoned police station in the community to provide security in the village which hosts a large population, including the huge student, lecturers and management staff of the Main Campus of Akwa Ibom State University, AKSU.
The group further urged the state government to wade into issues surrounding the crude oil discovery by Sterling Global in Oruk Anam and the questionable payment of compensation to Ikot Oku village to avoid impending crisis.
Group urges Gov Eno to review water project abandoned 14 years in MkpatEnin
