BY: VITALIS UGOH, Calaba
Bakassi Local Government Council and Ikang Community in Cross River state have concluded modalities to build a befitting motor park in the area to meets its status as an international border town.
To achieve this, the council is collaborating with the community to earmark a strategic location which will also boost the economy of the council, create job as well as enhance an organised transport system in the area.
The Chairman of Bakassi Local Government Area, Hon Chief Iyadim Amboni Iyadim, who led members of the Bakassi Local Government executive council during an interactive session with Ikang Clan Council at the palace of the Clan Head of Ikang, HRH Etinyin Effiong Kenneth Effiong, disclosed that Bakassi has attained an international status as a border town and it behoves on the council to create an enabling and viable environment to attract investors and visitors.
Iyadim, represented by the Vice Chairman Bakassi Local Government Area, Hon Etieka Mrs Lawrencia Ita, stated that God has blessed Bakassi as an economic hub of both the state and the country as well as an international trading centre strategically located, adding that the siting of a befitting motor park was another way of boosting the economic potentials of the area.
According to him, the Internally Generated Revenue IGR of the area and its monthly federal allocation was not adequate enough to meet the developmental vision of the council and there was need to initiate other means of generating revenue.
“The influx of vehicular traffic calls for the opening of a befitting motor park in the area to decongest the roads of irregular and indecent parking as well as generate revenue through an organised system, so we are here to negotiate for a piece of land for the construction of a motor park”, he opened up.
Responding, the clan head of Ikang, HRH Etinyin Effiong Kenneth Effiong, commended the Chairman in his desire to build a motor park in the area, and suggested that such a meeting be rescheduled to a later date to enable all the parties involved participate.
The Secretary of Ikang Clan Council, Chief Essien Eyo, commended Iyadim, who during his tenure as Chairman Security Council, Bakassi LGA had called for the establishment of a motor park and an abattoir in the area , called on the Chairman to appeal to Border Communities Development Agency BCDA to revisit its abandoned market project located in the area.
Eyo, however, disclosed that a motor park hitherto located in the area was abandoned and later converted to a market and said a suggestion for a central motor park was a welcome idea, advising that a workshop be organized for revenue agents and sensitization to ensure investors are not driven away.
The Secretary of Council Hon Eyo Bassey Edet in his remarks, described the council as humane in its efforts to acquire a land for a central motor park for overriding public interest through negotiation than resorting to executive powers.
On the attitude of revenue agents, the Secretary said the council had set up a Revenue Harmonization Committee to address the issues of molestation and that council would collaborate with revenue agents to ensure investors do not leave Bakassi to another area.