BY: VITALIS UGOH, Calabar
The Chairman of Bakassi local Government Area Hon Chief Iyadim Amboni Iyadim has said he is prepared to go anywhere and seek for assistance which will impact positively on the the people of area
Iyadim, who was accompanied by members of Bakassi Local Government Executive Council, stated this during a courtesy call on the Commissioner, Ministry of Humanities, Mrs Blessing Egbara in her office
According to him, the visit was in line with his resolve to reposition Bakassi as one of the focal areas in the state as an international border town
The Chairman who disclosed that his visit was to present the problems faced by the people of Bakassi, said they are both of state and federal interest
He noted that Green Tree Agreement which was part of the articles for ceding parts of Bakassi to Cameroon has not been adhered to the letter and yearns for implementation because those displaced have not been properly settled till date while commending government and United Nations for the attention given the displaced citizens of Cameroon who are camped at Danere, Boki Local Government Area
Iyadim disclosed that currently Bakassi is saddled with two major challenges, that of displaced persons and the October 24, last year EndSARS protests which destroyed both public and private property, adding that they demand urgent attention because their attention is beyond the council
He commended governor Ben Ayade for initiating a housing estate as resettlement center at Ifiang Usung as an accommodation for displaced but regretted the unwonted level of damage done the estate by hoodlums during the ENDSARS riots
The Chairman therefore stressed that he would go any length to solicit for assistance to enable Bakassi attain its pride of place amongst other areas especially with its status as an international border town and appealed that the ministry accords Bakassi a prime position in its various programs to uplift the area
Responding, the Commissioner, Ministry of Humanities, Mrs Blessing Egbara,noted that the state government is familiar with the problems of Bakassi and it is very passionate in finding solutions to them
Egbara who was flanked by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Rev Joseph Ugbe, lamented the havoc which the ENDSARS rioters caused the area , disclosing that the state government through her ministry, will ensure more of its empowerment programs are allocated to Bakassi
She further explained that with Cross River now an APC state , the state stands to befit more from the federal government especially in its numerous programs and projects aimed at creating jobs and wealth
