BY: VITALIS UGOH, Calabar
The chairman of Bakassi local government area, Hon Chief Iyadim Amboni Iyadim, inaugurated Bakassi Internally Displaced Persons IDPs/ Returnees’ Management Committee charging them to address all issues related to the problems of the area.
It would be recalled that part of Bakassi was ceded to Cameroon as well as the effects of the 2020 #EndSARS riot holistically which also affected the council headquarters.
Addressing members of the committee in the council secretariat in a ceremony which was witnessed by the Special Adviser to the governor on Internally Displaced Persons Matters, Pastor Patrick Asikpo Okon, Iyadim disclosed that the peculiar problems of the area culminated in forming the committee which is not made of political appointees.
According to him ,the displaced people of Bakassi local government area are not well captured as with their kinds in Ogoja , iKom and Boki, stressing that all the international observers and signatories to the ceding of portion of Bakassi to Cameroon have not lived up to their promises thereafter ” as their promise of a model city is still an illusion”
“The problem of Bakassi people concerning their displacement has not been solved as the people have been denied and deprived of the ancestral homeland and occupation”
He said the terms of reference of the committee include the following. “To ascertain and build a database for all IDPs / returnees wherever they are settled”.
“To liaise with the various agencies of government at federal, state and local government levels To liaise with all international donor agencies/organizations that coordinate the activities of IDPs/returnees”.
To manage the welfare/ wellbeing of all the Bakassi IDPs/ returnees in all camps.
The committee shall from time to time submit its progress report to the office of the Executive Chairman on a quarterly basis.
Members of the committee are Hon Bassey Ita Edet-Chairman, Hon Effiong Edet Effiong, Secretary ,Prince Edem Nsa, Hon Udeme Effiong Okon, Chief Etim Okon Ene, Prince Austin Inyang, Hon Christopher Edet, Rep of Nigeria Police, Rep of DSS and Rep of NSCDC.
The chairman of the Bakassi IDPs/ Returnees Management Committee, Hon Bassey Ita Edet in appreciation commended the chairman of Bakassi Local Government Area, Hon Chief Iyadim Amboni Iyadim, for finding worthy to handle such an enormous task.
Edet said though the state might lack the capacity to handle the Bakassi IDPs/Returnees problems, the management committee will stretch its hands to international donor agencies to attract attention to Bakassi, adding that they will work hard to actualize the dreams of the chairman as one his greatest performances is the formation of the committee.
The Special Adviser to the governor on IDPs Matters,Pastor Patrick Asikpo Okon in his remark, reminded members of the committee that they have an enormous assignment which they should not shy away, adding that they should work in synergy to record success.
Okon promised to inform the governor, Senator Ben Ayade of the formation of the committee by chairman to look into issues of IDPs/ Returnees in Bakassi.
