Attempts by the state Governor Chief Godswill Akpabio to
step into the lingering protest staged by the youths of Eket federal
constituency against the oil rich Exxon Mobil fell flat as the oil company
rejected the intervention without an excuse. Governor Akpabio was represented
by the state Secretary to State Government, Mr. Udom Emmanuel. The stage was
Ikot Edor at the palace of the paramount ruler of Onna Local Government Area,
HRH Akwa Edidem Akpabio Udo Ukpa were stakeholders, youths and women of the
communities gathered to restate their avowed commitment to continue with the
protest until Exxon Mobil meets their demands which are, payment of the
November, 2012 oil spill money which amounted to 26.5billion naira, employment
of their citizens in the company as permanent staff and the unconditional
release of the abducted paramount ruler of Esit Eket Local Government Area, HRH
Obong Ubong Assam.
The converge at the Onna paramount ruler’s palace began as
early as nine o’ clock and the SSG arrived quite on time but in the later part
of noon to join in a closed door meeting that had the protest coordinator,
Isiah Abia, the paramount rulers of Eket, Ibeno and that of Onna Local
Government Areas. That of Esit Eket could not attend the meeting as he was
still in kidnappers den. Others who attended the closed door meeting were the
council chairmen of Eket, Aniekan Akpan, Esit Eket Ibanga Etang, Onna Ufot
Sunday and that of Ibeno Henry Ekpe Nko.
Members representing Eket, Ayang Akanimo Ayang that of Onna
Gabriel Tobby at the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly were in attendance. The
member for Esit Eket/ Ibeno state constituency, Hon Okpolupm Etteh was absent
from the meeting and it was not readily ascertained why he was conspicuously
absent. Commissioners Enobong Uwah, EmemAbasi Bassey, Ita Umoh Udo were all in
attendance. The meeting deliberated amongst other things how the youths could
be talked over to discontinue the protest as well as how to get the company
Exxon Mobil to meet the demands of the communities.
While in the closed door meeting, it was discussed and
deliberated amongst other things how the authorities of Exxon Mobil would be
made to see the need to meet with the requests of the protesters. Most of the
stakeholders expressed their displeasure over the neglect of the meeting by
Exxon Mobil and described it as a height of insensibilities to their host
communities. The youths on their part threatened that they will not pull out of
the protest. In the closed door meeting, it was readily obvious that some
stakeholders of the region and elders were not sincere in their argument, they
rather than hit the nail on the head were dilly-dialing. Their selfish approach
to these issues is what led the community to this mess, a stakeholder of the
region lamented to our reporter last weekend.
The state secretary to state Government Mr. Udom Emmanuel
whom a government House source said came to represent the Governor was visibly
angry over the none availability of Exxon Mobil at the meeting but still went
ahead with the closed door meeting at the residence of the Onna Royal monarch.
Speaking after the closed door meeting the SSG said the
meeting was to chart the course for peace for the area. He said while making
reference to the Bible that the protesters should dialogue in peace as
according to him the whole world knows that we are peace makers. He however
appealed to the youths not to take the laws into their hands and maintained
that the state will continue to use dialogue to ensure that a lasting solution
is found to the lingering challenges.
Meanwhile no official statement has been extracted from
Exxon Mobil concerning their plans to the protesting communities and why they
shunned the Ikot Edor meeting. But a top management staff of Exxon Mobil while
speaking to our reporter with strict condition of anonymity maintained that the
company could not attend the Ikot Edor meeting Our source said the elders of
Ibeno, Esit Eket and Onna are to be blamed on whatever is befalling the communities
arguing that sometimes some Elders of the area had always negotiated for their
interests alone and described as unfortunate the protest which have succeeded
in shutting down some operations in the company. Our source however refused to
comment on the effect the protest will have on Exxon Mobil and their operations
but maintained with optimism that if the protest is managed well, most of the
demands may be met
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