By Akanimo Kufre (The New Diplomat’s A/Ibom|C/River Correspondent)
The Federal Government has expressed displeasure over the attitude of members of some communities living along the Calabar-Itu highway, as well as their desperation for compensation with illegal structures.
This displeasure was made by Sen. Ita Enang, Senior Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta Affairs during a facility tour of the deplorable road project in Itu on Saturday.
Enang, therefore, warned such communities along the Calabar-Itu highway corridor to desist from such act, as government would not pay any compensation on structures under the high tension cables.
According to him, the Federal Government will not pay compensation on any structure that was not there before valuation.
Enang added that most of the structures on the right of way had been paid compensation by government since the construction of the road in 1976 and wondered why people should come back to erect tombstones to defraud government.
He appealed to the Village Head of Mbak Oku Itam, Chief Robert Udoh, to call his people to order to desist from building illegal structures under the high tension cables with the hope of getting compensation.
“So, please call all the people along this road that these things they are doing will not pay off. When the valuers will measure, they will measure the area that cannot be paid. The fact that you have structures here doesn’t mean government will pay you.”
“Before the contract was awarded, the estimate of the buildings that were there, economic trees and other valuables were taken. That is what was used in arriving at the contract.
“Some people have come here to erect tombstone for people that did not die. Some, their fathers and mothers are alive but they have erected their tombstones in respect of living people.” Enang noted.
According to him, if the cost of valuation and compensation becomes too high, government will not hesitate to move the road to a fresh route.
“Only four kilometres, we have paid N595 million as compensation and we are not prepared to do that again,” Enang said.
The presidential aide noted that the construction of the road was delayed due to funding challenges confronting the Federal Government and, therefore, appealed to the people to be a bit more patient as efforts were on to ensure completion.
Respond, Chief Udoh, appealed to the Federal Government to hasten the construction of the road as it had become a nightmare for commuters.
The monarch urged government to also ensure adequate payment of compensation to those whose structures had been affected in the course of the dualisation of the highway.
