tue jan 31st,2017-akwa ibom
By Chioma Onuegbu
UKPUM ETE—THE lingering issue of compensation for the 330KVA Ikot-Ekpene-Ikot Abasi 330 KVA Transmission Line in Ikot Abasi Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State, has caused pandemonium between the National Integrated Power Project, NIPP, and residents of Ukpum Ete clan, comprising 12 villages.
The aggrieved residents complained that they were yet to be paid compensation for the project, which was handled by National Integrated Power Project, NIPP, and Niger Delta Power Holding Company, after the enumeration and valuation of their property, along the Right of Way, ROW, of the transmission line by NIPP contractor, Joe Etteba in 2012. The 12 villages include Abiaran, Ekpuk Inang, Umeneke1, Umeneke11, Ikot Akan, Abasute, Ikot Etenge Ete, Okpoto, Odiono Iso Utibe, Obioakama, and Essein Etuk.
Conflicting statements: Mr. Nyong Ekwere, from Abiaran village, who spoke to the NDV, lamented that despite the several petitions and appeals to both the state and federal government over the matter, especially after they realized that the Bureau of Public Procurement, (BPP) had certified compensation and funds released for the project done across the country, the matter was yet to be resolved.
power
Ekwere said the total sum NIPP was supposed to pay Ete group of villages was N679, 801, 817.00 as compensation based on the enumeration and valuation by the contractor Mr. Joe Ettaba & Partners. He noted, however, that the matter remained inconclusive even after officials of the NIPP and other stakeholders in the power sector met, last Thursday, in Uyo.
“During our meeting with the managing director of NIPP, Mr Chiedu Ugbo, last Thursday, he assured us that the money will be paid soon; that he wants the matter to be resolved peacefully, and we accepted and appreciated him for his concern towards our plight. That meeting was chaired by the Special Assistant to the Governor on Power, Engr. Etukudoh.
“But after the MD left, other NIPP officials he came with now turned round by introducing a fresh issue that third enumeration and valuation done by Celestine Udia of Ekere and Associates, will be used for the payment of compensation. That is not acceptable and we disagreed totally with that because we are not aware of any other assessment done in our community apart from the one done by Ettaba.
FG, Ministry of Power should mediate
“We do not know when Udia or even Ekere and associates came to do any assessment. Because if they did, as they claim, the village heads at least would have known about it. So we are surprised and that is why we are insisting on the one done by Joe Ettaba, which we all know.
In fact, the problem started after Ettaba completed the enumeration and valuation, and we later heard that another person, Ene & Associates came and paid some people compensation and nobody from the 12 villages affected by the transmission line were paid. Now, they are bringing a third valuer, Ekere and Associates. So I am still appealing to the Federal Government through the Ministry of Power to intervene in this matter,” he asserted.
Similarly, Mr. Usen Samuel Akpan of Obiokama village said, “We are not happy about what is happening fact. Our counterparts in other states have been paid. And now without paying us since the completion of the assessment in 2012, they are now talking about another assessment they did which we are not even aware of, so I see this whole thing as a way to frustrate and cheat our community.
“In as much as we are peace loving communities, we will not allow that to happen because it is painful. In fact, I had thought that when the NIPP officials come, they were going to negotiate on what we had earlier sent to them so that we can come to an agreement, but instead, they are now saying they want to use another valuation.
First, let them pay us for the one done in 2012 before another one they did. So as I speak, Ete group of villages affected by the power project are not happy because they have waited for this for too long. We are peace loving people and all we are asking for is what is due to us. We are farmers and when our crops, are destroyed and our farmlands taken by government, we should be compensated.”
Threats: A youth of the area, who simply identified himself as Udoh, alleged that there was a time security operatives were used to intimidate them. His words: “If they had allowed the original consultant, Joe Ettaba, who did the assessment to pay the affected persons instead of bringing in a strange contractor, Ene & Associates, all these problems would not have come up in the first place. Because we are asking for what is our right, they even threaten us with security men.”
How I was marginalised — Ettaba
The contractor, Ettaba, who spoke to NDV on phone, said he did the enumeration and valuation, but payment of compensation was given to another company, which had never been to the community, adding that the firm ended up paying some fictitious names instead of the real people, whose properties were affected by the transmission line
