by By Edem Darlington
I feel compelled to react to the various allegations levelled against the lawmaker representing Odukpani state constituency, Hon. Francis Asuquo by concerned indigenes of Okoyong nation where the NOGAPs project is sited. First, because I have been in the forefront of that project pushing for it’s commencement for many years now . Again, because I was the one who introduced Hon. Francis Asuquo to the project and I dare him to deny that.
The Nigerian Oil and Gas Industrial Park Project, NOGAPs, is a brain child of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board, NCDMB is an agency of the Federal Government under the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources, it is aimed at encouraging and developing local content production and expertise in the oil and gas sector in Nigeria. The project is planned to be sited in every state in the Niger Delta region with Cross River State and Bayelsa were selected as pilot states. On completion, it will serve as a resource pool for consumables and other items used in the oil and gas sector. That is, instead of importing some of those items outside the country, they will be manufactured locally at the park for the Nigerian market. What that means is that the state will serve as a hub for consumables and other items used by International Oil Companies (IOCs) and Oil Servicing Companies (OSCs). The economic benefits this activity will create for the state is unimaginable. Already, several foreign companies are ready and awaiting the completion of the park to start business at the park.
Sadly, as it stands, the project is facing myriad challenges including ‘home front threats’ and maybe stopped as a result of the selfish and greedy actions of some individuals like Hon. Francis Asuquo the lawmaker representing Odukpani state constituency and his collaborators.
The NCDMB, in their wisdom and commitment to ensure the project was immuned against abandonment, which is a common challenge faced by other government projects, in August 2019, inaugurated a Community Interface Committee, CIC with membership carefully selected across board. The mandate of the board was to ensure seamless relationship between the host and immediate Communities, contractors and other stakeholders. The CIC according to it’s policy guideline was also mandated to coordinate and supervise according to standard ratio, the employment, subcontrats and other supply designated for the host and immediate communities and to ensure adherence of the same by contractors and every other stakeholder.
It is pathetic that the CIC after it’s inauguration have been rendered impotent by the illegal activities of Hon. Francis Asuquo, more than a year after the commencement of the project, using his cronies one Hon. Ekpenyong Atting who is the current councillor representing Onim Ankiong ward and others.
Hon. Atting who was recently arrested by men of the Nigerian police for beating up the leader of the Odukpani legislative council has been working with other thugs permanently stationed at the site with instructions to ‘deal’ with anyone that will enter the site without their permission.
To prove a point, some traditional leaders and other other state government officials from other Okoyong nation who felt marginalized by the activities of the lawmaker and made attempts to talk with some of the contractors at the site were seriously harrased beaten with the leader of the thug reportedly distributing dangerous weapons to his boys to deal with the ‘intruders’. They thugs reportedly claimed to be working under the instruction of Hon. Francis Asuquo. Hon. Ekpenyong Atting is also said to be in the habit of threatening contractors to part with several amount of monies at will. Last december, he was seen in a widely circulated video leading a group of thugs and threatening contractors to part with several levies running into millions of naira. At a point, a staff of the Cross River Broadcasting Corperation, CRBC who was covering the show of shame was seriously beaten and attempts made by the thugs to cease his camera was thwarted by efforts of the security operatives.
Incidentally, the said Ekpenyong Atting and one Barr. Edet Okon are members of the CIC having been nominated by Hon. Francis Asuquo as members of the host community with the later actually serving as the chairman of the CIC. These Two work according to the dictates of Hon. Asuquo with the aim of fraustrating the activities of the CIC for personal gains. Unfortunately, the contractors who are clearly aware of their sheer ignorance and the fact that the division and and diversion will favour them are busy oiling the misadventure, thereby denying Cross Riverians and the state of several benefits and opportunities.
They have continued to make the CIC work almost impossible, threatening contractors and diverting all contracts to themselves and cronies, ordering employments without recourse to the committee.
It is sad that Mr. Francis Asuquo is behaving like a local pick-pocket and common thug. Pathetic that one who is supposed to be a lawmaker is manifestly breaking the law. That one who is supposed to be honourable both in words and conduct is clearly behaving dishonourably is pitiable.
While Hon. Asuquo has continued to deny the various allegations levelled against him, perhaps some very petinent questions he will need to answer will be; could it be that as a political and traditional leader, he can claim not to be aware of the activities o the same people he nominated to represent his community in a major project like that? Is it possible that he is not aware or have not diverted contracts meant to be coordinated and supervised by the CIC to himself and cronies? Is it possible that he is not aware of any employment done at the site and that some people even pay as much as N25,000 to secure employment?
It is important for security agents in the state to be aware that the action and activities of the lawmakers and his agents are already generating serious agitations that may lead to communual war as other clans that makes up the entire Okoyong nation are determined to stop the illegal activities of Hon. Asuquo by all means possible.
Independent investigation confirms that the contractors are uncomfortable with the lawmaker and his agents as they continue to work under serious tension and threats, the CIC put in place by the FG cannot enter the project site to carry out their function for fear of attack while the lawmaker has instructed his nominees not to attend the CIC meeting, effectively crippling the committee.
The state government must immediately intervene to stop this ugly trend. If this project eludes the state, we will loose it forever. Hon. Asuquo and his co travellers must be stopped forthwith from sabotaging the economic fortunes and future of the state through selfish interest. Security agent, must be ordered to investigate this claims and that of the Okoyong youths spearheaded by the Senior Special Adviser to the governor on Recreational Park. Because when the entire village points at your direction, it is either you are the one harbouring the thief or you are actually the thief.
Edem Darlington is a Journalist, Oil and Gas expert and a Member of the Odukpani NOGAPs Community Interface Committee, CIC
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