Illegal sales of Govt. properties: Usoro Akpanusoh takes case to AKHA

Usoro Akpanusoh

BY EMMANUEL AKPAN

Following verbal complaints and series of petitions received by the member representing Esit Eket/Ibeno State Constituency, Hon. (Dr) Usoro Akpanusoh on the illegal selling of State Government Properties in Uyo capital city, the lawmaker through a motion of Urgent Public Importance during last Thursday’s plenary called on the House of Assembly to revoke all the sales of government properties without due process within Uyo Capital City and its environs. Usoro Akpanusoh in a motion titled ‘Revocation of sales of government properties in Uyo capital city and its environs’, said there has been consistent out-burst recently by concerned citizens of Akwa Ibom State on flagrant abuse of constitutional functions by operators of some government agencies, collaborating with unpatriotic individuals and cohorts to dispose of government properties within Uyo Capital City and its environs without due process.
Akpanusoh said some of government agencies are induced by some influential individuals in the State to circumvent government rules in the prevailing circumstances, saying the actions by the agencies have brought untold hardship to the law abiding citizens of the State.
The lawmaker in his motion moved “That as the people’s Assembly, Order 9, Rule 5 of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly Standing Order 2011 be invoked on related issues of sales of the State Government Properties. Also, that an investigative committee on this matter of urgent public importance be constituted and the outcome made public as soon as possible.” Akpanusoh moved.          
He however cited one of the petitions submitted to his office by some occupants of government quarters in Ewet Housing Estate, Uyo titled ‘Appeal to rescind the sale of official quarters at Ewet Housing Estate, Uyo by APICO’. The lawmaker maintained that according to the petition, occupants are requesting that alleged sale of government residential quarters be reviewed in the interest of justices, equity and fair play.
He stressed that the occupants in the petition are requesting that the sales of the quarters should be done on owner occupier basis in view of the fact that there is subsisting precedence as was the case in the sale of the legislative quarters and some occupants in the Estate. Another prayer by the Ewet Housing occupants is that the “quarters should be sold at the same amount they have been secretly selling to occupants some of who they said are non-indigenes and staff of Federal Government Agencies.”
The Speaker of Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Hon. Aniekan Uko while responding to the motion said the House of Assembly is determined to speak and protect the interest of every Akwa Ibom person as the 6th Assembly is the christened the ‘people’s Assembly’. Aniekan Uko commended Usoro Akpanusoh for bringing the case to the notice of the House and also for not only speaking for Esit Eket/Ibeno State Constituency, but for having the interest of the entire Akwa Ibom people at heart. The speaker however ordered the immediate stoppage of sales of all government properties till further notice. He set up a committee to investigate the matter and report back to the House.      
The committee has Hon. David Lawrence as chairman, while Hon. Nse Essien, Hon. Uduak Ododoh, Hon. Asuquo Archibong, Hon. Otobong Ndem, Hon. Emmanuel Ekpenyong, Hon. Mfon Ekong and Hon. Nse Ntuen will serve as members of the committee.