Governor Bassey Otu of Cross River State has been cautioned not to eject allottees of cocoa plots in Etung LGA of the state.
Traditional Rulers of Mbume Block of Clans in Etung LGA made the caution in Calabar, disclosing that there are 4,552hectares out of which Ben Ayade’s administration allocated 1,415 hectares.
There were indications that Governor Otu was bent on implementing the threats by his successor, Ben Ayade’s administration to eject the allottees even though most of them have genuine papers showing that they made payments to the government.
A Taskforce on cocoa led by Hon. Cosmos Ebori Nku’ had insisted that allottees of cocoa plots from the previous administration encroached into farm lands were false.
Chairman, Crises Management Committee, Mbume Blocks of clans, Etung Local Government Area of Cross River State (Cocoa host communities) Ntufam Odu Ndep Moses said if the government carried out their threats there might be further violence and bloodshed.
He advised Otu to make use of the remaining 3,137 hectares which were unallocated by immediate past administration.
“The government can still make use of the remaining 3,137 hectares to avoid outbreaks of crises within the host communities.
“It was from the allocation of the 1,414 hectares as a way to execute the court’s consent judgement by past administration that N30 million was paid to the state government’s account,” Ndep advised.
From their findings, he said the money was used to defray 16-year old royalty and debt which the state government owed cocoa landlord communities.
Ndep insisted that the allottees paid required fees into the coffers of the state government before they took possession of the allotted farms.
He maintained that the government has been misinformed over the allotment.
“We, therefore, urged restraint and strongly advised against any measure that may result in violent clashes,” he stressed.
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