After series of petitions to no avail, the Ikot Ukpong Iman community in Etinan Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State has threatened to embark on mass protest following the devastation of the area by activities of illegal sand miners.
Narrating their ordeal, Prof. Gabriel Umoh, a stakeholder in Ikot Ukpong Iman, explained that the community was under serious threat of landslide, if urgent steps were not taken to stop the illegal activity.
According to him, the community has been shut in, as the only access road to the area has been completely devastated by heavy duty trucks and earth excavating equipment used the company.
“Currently, socio-economic activities in my community have crippled by the activities of the miners because the only link road to the community with a bridge has collapsed, forcing local farmers to take bush tracks to the major markets in Etinan”.
He lamented that some neighbouring communities, who cashed in on this, erected tolls along the alternative routes in and out of Ikot Ukpong, charging between N50 and N100.
Besides, he spoke of pains his people go through on a daily basis, as they trek long distances to other communities to fetch clean water, following the pollution of the only river by the sand dredgers.
“One of the physical properties is being colourless, but our stream now has turned to different colours because pollution. It is unfair and a breach of natural law to engage in an economic activity that is totally detrimental to the wellbeing and existence of another man”, the Professor of Agricultural and Development Economics, noted.
Worried by the development, community leaders and stakeholders, according to him, had written several petitions to some concerned authorities including the State Ministry and Federal Ministries of Environment, but no commensurate response.
It was gathered the matter has become a source of disputes to other adjoining communities owing to the ongoing construction work on Etinan-Onna road by the State government.
Also, some local residents accused the neighbouring Mbioto 11, of conniving with the mining companies, Be-Bina Dredging Company Ltd and Gulf Juliet International, to decimate Ikot Ukpong environment for cash.
Disturbed by the alleged compromising stance of Mbioto 11, the affected community led by the Village Head, Eteidung Okon Akpan and other traditional rulers had written to the Village Head of Mbioto 11, complaining of the devastation occasioned by such illegal dredging of the Akpasak stream.
The letter entitled, ‘Pollution of our only source of drinking water’ and made available to reporters reads in part:
“I on behalf of the entire Ikot Ukpong Iman community wish to draw your attention to the serious pollution Idim Akpasak (Akpasak stream), our only source of drinking water due to the sand dredging”.
He lamented that the illegal mining of sand in the river has brought untold hardship on the people of the area, noting that such environmental activities violates all known environmental laws.
Towards a lasting peace, it was gathered the Paramount Ruler of Etinan, Edidem Ime Dickson Umoette, has summoned the affected communities for a meeting in order to avert a full blown war.
"If all these avenues fail to yield any peace, we have no other option than to seek legal redress", Umoh said.
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