A diasporan group, ESOP IDUNG ITION (USA) INC, has decried what it described as the perennial marginalization and underdevelopment of Mkpat Enin Urban, the headquarters of Mkpat Enin Local Government Area.
In a release signed by its President, Mr Ezekiel Ekanem; Secretary, Pastor Jeremiah Ufot, and two ex-officio members, Mr Samuel Mark and Pastor Emaeyak Ekanem, the group lamented that since the creation of the local government in 1987, the host communities of the local government headquarters have been consistently marginalized.
“Every year, since the creation of Mkpat Enin Local Government in 1987, Mkpat Enin Urban that hosts the Local Government as its headquarters is critically marginalized – there are severe underdevelopment, abandoned projects, lack of infrastructure and rot of old ones.
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“Particularly, we are concerned with the dilapidation of our educational institutions in what should be a developmentally pace-setting model. Sadly, and shamefully, visitors to Mkpat Enin Local Government Headquarters are greeted by unsafe learning facilities for our helpless children, abandoned market stalls, weedy recreational facilities now habitat for wild animals, as well as hideout for criminals.
“Our roads are inaccessible; there are absence of basic and essential amenities such as good drinking water, electricity, among others, which have become our bane,” it noted.
The US-based association also expressed concerns over habitual mismanagement of funds allocated to the local government by successive administrations, demanding that such unpatriotic act must stop.
“We are further concerned that funds for development of Mkpat Enin Local Government are seemingly mismanaged by successive administrations. For instance, as per publication by many media outlets, our last elected local government chairman was allegedly caught in the web of financial embezzlement.
“There may be several unreported other cases of embezzlements and mismanagements of funds in Mkpat Enin Local Government, which must stop forthwith,” it added.
Appealing for the state and local governments to urgently intervened in the situation, the group demanded for increased and judicious utilization of the local government funds and accountability of the funds, identifying and supporting families in critical needs to alleviate their suffering.
The group further demanded the government to identify and develop essential infrastructures in Mkpat Enin Urban, partner with community leaders, and businesses to create solutions to issues such as low economic activities, and empower indigenes of the area to hold the leaders accountable.
“As concerned indigenes with a global perspective of development, we are saddened by the level of rot, marginalization, underdevelopment and deprivation in our communities in the throes of democratic dividends that should accrue to our suffering communities,” the group said, adding that since it formation, it has been consistently contributing to the growth and development of the communities.
Among the interventions undertaken by the group include provision and installation of solar lights on 40 poles, renovation of several classroom blocks in the primary school, grading of 10 roads within the five communities, donation of lawn mowers to both primary and secondary schools, provision of security gadgets such as 5 bicycles, security whistles, 5 raincoats, 5 rainboots, and walkie talkies to the community vigilante team, donation of palliative items such as rice, beans, salt and other essential food items to the communities during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We reaffirm our commitment to good governance and development in Mkpat Enin Urban; namely, Mkpat Enin, Ikot Ekpe, Ikot Abasi Ufon, Ikot Obio Akwa, and Nung Ukim. In addition to our material contributions, we are undertaking aggressive advocacy for accountability from past, present and future administrations of the local government, as well as transparency in management of local government funds going forward,” the group concluded.
