Uyo – The Akwa Ibom government has described Eket Local Government Area of the state as most difficult area to develop, blaming such on the character of the people.

The government said the people’s unfriendly and uncooperative attitude towarda government effort to develop the place has unduly delayed the ongoing Eket remodelling.

It has been observed that Eket, popularly known as the oil city as it provides accomodation to oil experts working with ExxonMobil and other oil servicing companies across the state has over the years presented challenges to most attempt to develop the area, especially in the area of road construction.

It is on record that the East West road which passes across some parts of the state terminated at the boundary into Eket due to community hostility and other internal issues which worked against the development.

In a chat with newsmen in the Uyo over the weekend, the Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Worls, Mr Ephriam Inyangeyen explained the delay in the completion of the Eket urban renewal scheme in which contract was awarded more than three years ago , saying it suffered a setback due to litigation by property owners on the project’s right of way.

The project which is being supervised by the Akwa Ibom state ministry of works consists of the construction of dual a carriage way from Atabong to Grace Bill road as well as the construction of a roundabout near Liverpool road in an attempt at the upgrade of facilities in the  oil city.

Inyang Eyen  said in addition to the series of litigation, the people in the area are difficult to work with and have made it difficult for the project to be completed in time.

According to him, though the state government is willing to pay compensation to property owners and has paid many of them, they have declined to accept compensation payment and have rather dragged to the state government to court making it difficult for many of the structures to be pulled down for the project to carry out.

‘If Eket remodeling is delayed, it should be made known that the people of Eket are not supporting us, they are the problem. Until, the cases are withdrawn from the courts, we cannot do anything,’’ the commissioner said.

He disclosed that even when the state government had paid compensation for the relocation of the Atabong market, the community had rejected all appeals for the market to built in another area saying the state government paid the construction of the new market through the chairman of Eket local government area.

The commissioner however expressed the hope that with moves being made to have the cases withdrawn from the court, the project would continue and complete without much delay.

He disclosed that the objective of the state government in construction roads across all the senatorial districts of the state was to create a network of roads in the for ease of transportation and ensure add value to road transportation.

According to him, the state government has taken steps towards the realization of the Ibom deep seaport saying that before now, no serious effort was made by the previous administration.

He also confirmed that the federal government made a refund to the state government on money spent on the construction of federal roads and other projects in the state.

Source: https://www.independent.ng/eket-lga-frustrates-akwa-ibom-development-efforts/amp/

Until we hear all sides of the story. How can a people stretch out their hands to collect compensation and still refuse for the structures to go down.