Crisis looms in Nsit Ubium …as community, CCECC clash over water

The youths being addressed by the police team

*    Indigenes stage protest, bar workers from site, block access road

There are indications that indigenes of Ikot Okobo in Nsit Ubium Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State may soon be staging a serious war against Chinese construction firm, CCECC if the company makes any further delay in providing for the community an alternate drinking water source, it was gathered.
The said indications gathered brighter prospects last Friday, when indigenes of Ikot Okobo community stormed the company’s work site in protest and barred the workers from going about their respective duties at the site, and upon not having any of the company’s official to listen to their plight and address them, the angry youths resorted to blocking the express road, thereby denying road users access to their respective daily businesses.

Our reporter who arrived the protest scene upon notification, shortly after the protest began gathered that the protest was consequent upon the fact that the company had, in an attempt to construct a culvert over a stream along the road under construction, polluted the water in the stream which according to the indigenes, was their only source of drinking water.

Speaking to community pulse, the community youth leader, Emmanuel Peter, stressed that the community has been deprived of their only source of drinking water for more than three months, attributing every fault to the company and its officials which they said, are all wicked and nonchalant in attitude.

Peter noted that upon noticing the water pollution, the community had written to the company, notifying them of the unfortunate development, while appealing to its management to find a way of providing the community with an alternate water source, but got no response from the company.

He said that upon not getting any response, the community had written to the company again, but this time, their reply was that it was within the powers of one Mr Mfon Abia to make such provision, as demanded by them, appealing to them to wait for the return of the said Abia who was out of state.

In a brief chat with our reporter in his palace, the village head of the community, Eteidung Udo Charles Akpan noted that the village is not against the kind gesture of the government to provide access roads to rural communities including them, but that the company has only made a mess of the government’s positive efforts by sealing their only source of drinking water, thereby starving them of water to drink and make food.

Eteidung Akpan also confirmed having written to the company’s management on two occasions, and even received a reply from them confirming that they had received their earlier written letter twice as each came, but still never responded to their plights, as stated in the letters, adding that it was for that reason that youths in the community got furious and decided to take the confrontational approach.
The village head said it’s been over two (2) months now since the youths began the agitation for a confrontational approach, but he kept aborting their every move, saying he is always pleading with them to be patient, but that on that day, the state of anger in the hearts of the youths was beyond his control.
Eteidung Akpan also said that the youths’ uncontrollable anger was consequent upon the fact that more than 10 indigenes had recently died of diseases suspected to be water borne, adding that some others had also fallen seriously ill through similar way.

He also hinted that apart from his community, about 7 other communities also drink of that same water, which he said, also links to each of the communities, adding that in individual terms, the company has for more than 3 months deprived more than six thousand rural dwellers of their natural right to have water.

He appealed on the state government to intervene and cause the company to provide an alternative to their blocked source of water, while calling on the company to act promptly to their demand by providing for them another water source, even if it is temporal, until they (the company) complete their work, and allow the water its usual free flow.

Our reporter also gathered that while at the road block, a team of policemen sent to scene by the area’s Divisional Police Officer, Ikechukwu Chidozie had called for calm on the part of the villagers, assuring them that their request will be granted.

Addressing the angry youths, the spokesman of the police team, Achang James commended the youths for showing maturity upon the arrival of the police team, and granting them their attention, adding that by that act, they have proven their confidence of fighting a just course.

Achang who, according to him, came with the message from the DPO however frown at the road block act by the youths, saying that it was ma step out of necessity, adding that the blocked road belongs to the federal government and not the company, hence, innocent citizens were the ones suffering the effect.
Achang pleaded with the youths to corporate with them and dismantle the road block, while assuring them that the DPO was already making plans to call for a peace meeting with the parties involved, asking them to get their delegation ready, pending the DPO’s invitation for the said meeting.