Palm Plantation: Ekid People’s Union Shelves Protest, Lauds Eno Over Return

The Ekid people of Akwa Ibom State have lauded the state governor, Pastor Umo Eno, for resolving the issues that led to the closure of the largest palm plantation at Esit Urua.

In response to the governor’s gesture, the Ekit Peoples Union has asked its members to discontinue the mass protests it had planned to force the reopening of the massive economic venture.

The decision to shelve the strike is in a communique issued at the end of the union’s first quarterly meeting, held at Ikot Ibiok in Eket Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.

In the communique jointly signed by the President-General of EPU, Dr. Samuel Udonsak and the Secretary-General, Barr. Bassey Dan-Abia, the union noted with satisfaction the return of Esit Urua Palm Plantation, which they claimed was hitherto illegally occupied, and thanked the state government and the security agencies for facilitating the peaceful process.

The union, however, expressed displeasure with the representative of Eket Federal Constituency in the National Assembly for allegedly surreptitiously submitting a bill to change the names of their two local government areas without the people’s consent and asked him to withdraw the offending bill immediately.

In response to the implementation of the Petroleum Industry Bill, the union has called for sustained transparency and accountability regarding implementing the PIA Law, particularly regarding implementing programmes and projects of the Host Communities Development Trust.

The union urged the HCDT operators to note the observations that some had made of its stakeholders. It commended the PIA implementation committees of the two LGAs for their efforts so far and advised them to focus more on educational and manpower development.

The EPU also thanked the Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, for appointing three of its eminent sons to his State Executive Council and expressed the desire to see them perform creditably to the glory of God and service to the state.

However, the union drew the governor’s attention to the dilapidated state of the Qua River Hotels, which has been abandoned for over 20 years and has become a den for criminal activities and land grabbers selling off part of the property illegally.

The meeting commended the Dr. Samuel Udonsak-led executive committee for its diligence and commitment to the Ekid cause.

It thanked the police, especially its new DPO, for starting on a good note and called on him to immediately curb the latest wave of criminals coming in from other parts of the country to breach the peace of Ekid.