Angry youths drawn from Anua Obio community in Uyo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, have protested over exclusion from the N12 billion erosion project, sealing off the premises of the major contractor, China Road and Bridge Corporation, in the process.
The protesting youths, who cordoned off the facility housing the firm, vowed that the gates of the company would remain closed until their demands were met.
The youths demanded for the sack of the Commissioner for Environment and Mineral Resources, Mr Charles Udoh, whom they accused of constituting a clog in the wheels of the progress of the unemployed youths of the area.
Speaking with newsmen, the youths president, Mr. Ekembo Archibong, said the commissioner had allowed personal interest to override his official conduct by becoming the recruitment officer and the sub-contractor.
He said: “The Commissioner of Environment and Minerals Resources has allowed personal interest to override his official conduct by becoming the recruitment officer and a sub-contractor.
All efforts to make the commissioner, who comes from a nearby village within the community, understand that the youth have fallen on deaf ears.
“The youth leaders of other three communities that own the land where the company operates went to dialogue with the commissioner but he refused to see reasons with us, telling us that he came from Lagos and will go back anytime his services are no longer needed by Governor Udom Emmanuel. We want him to go now. Enough is enough,” Archibong demanded.
The youth leader alleged that when the company came to the site, representatives of the company had an interface with the youth, adding that the outcome of the meeting with the company were fruitful until the intervention of the commissioner.
According to him, when the commissioner stepped into the scene, he stopped further access and meeting with the company’s representatives on flimsy considerations.
Archibong debunked insinuations that the youth have no requisite technical know-how and certificate to be engaged in the company, lamenting that most of the protesting youths were unemployed graduates from the community.
“Look at our youths. Before now they used to say because we have no certificates; we have not gone to school; we don’t have the technical know-how, that is why we are not patronised by companies. Today, most of the youth standing here are graduates. Our people have skills. We want our rights,” he said
Responding, the commissioner said some of the youth were misguided in their thoughts because they were not within the catchment area of the company.
He disclosed that there were 17 communities in the catchment area of the company, adding that the protesting communities were not part of the catchment areas.
“Some of them are misguided because the project is not even within their locality. The protesting youths are not even within the catchment areas to the company. Why should I carry them along when they don’t fall within the company catchment area? It is like doing a project in Sapele and giving people work in Maidugiri. We have 17 communities in the catchment area and Anua-Obio are not part of the catchment area,” the commissioner maintained.
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