*CHRAN lauds IMOIMEE By; PATRICK TITUS, Uyo Persistent daily rainfall in Akwa Ibom State has stalled progress of work on ongoing
*CHRAN lauds IMOIMEE
By; PATRICK TITUS, Uyo
Persistent daily rainfall in Akwa Ibom State has stalled progress of work on ongoing development infrastructure executed by EMOIMEE as a trust fund operating by Seplat Energy to deliver on its corporate social responsibility to its host communities in the state. This development is against the delivery date for the various jobs execution.
Seplat Energy, an oil giant operating in the state, in exercise of its corporate social responsibility to host communities in the state, has embarked on various projects through its joint venture programme with NNPC in line with the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).
These projects which are spread across the seven catchment areas of Onna, Ibeno, Esit Eket, Mkpat Enin, Eket, Eastern Obolo and Mbo local government areas of the state were selected and executed based on needs assessment in the various benefitting communities.
When visited some sites of the ongoing projects in Mkpat Enin over the week, in continuation of the projects monitoring by the Center for Human Rights and Accountability Network (CHRAN), contractors on sites blamed the slow pace of work done to the persistent daily rainfall.
These sites include a 69 year old QIC Secondary Commercial School Ikot Obong Minya with renovation of six-classrooms block and office, library and QIC Commercial School in Minya, A. M Zion Primary School Ikot Abia/Ekpuk where perimeter fence, water project, staff quarters and six-classrooms block were ongoing
Other were ongoing 16 open market shops project at Ikot Abia and Cottage Hospital in Ikot Abia with renovated patients ward space among others.
Engr Abasiodiong Edo, the Structural Engineer of GIG Global, the company handling the construction of four numbers of new classroom block, office with ICT, Library, Renovation of classroom block, construction of two bedroom flat, staff quarters, perimeter fencing and gate house, toilets and borehole at Bishop Grimes Primary School Ninya Atak community in Mkpat Enin local government of the state said the project which has gone 40% is expected to be completed by October, 2025.
He expressed reservations about the persistent rains in the state which according to him may affect the target month of completion
Also Engr Bldr Danlami, the site Engineer of JAPENO Services Limited, a contracting firm handling the perimeter fencing of cottage hospital Ikot Ekpaw, in Mkpat Enin(name) who was seen at the site complained about the constant rains saying that though he was mobilized late to site, rains were the major problem affecting the speed of the work.
He noted that the company was given three months to complete the job but however, expressed fear that with persistent daily rainfall they may not meet up with the time as cement work cannot be done under rainfall.
Meanwhile, some youth who formed some percentage of labour, especially unskilled labour used by the contractors to execute the job, expressed joy at the projects sited in their communities, saying it would compliment the state government efforts at developing the rural areas of the state especially the coastal areas.
One of them, Mr David Ekong, who identified himself as a community liasion officer (CLO) for Ikot Ekpaw Village, noted that besides the projects which will on completion improve lives, the youth have benefited as work progresses because as artisans, it has provided job opportunities for them.
The Center for Human Rights and Accountability Network (CHRAN), had in statement issued earlier stated that its decision to carry out an independent tour of the projects executed by Seplat Energy under EMOIMEE in Mkpat Enin was in order to check and verify the extent of the projects and by extension, ensure accountability in the delivery of good governance by the oil giant in the area.
The visits provided ample opportunities for CHRAN to assess the activities to appraise the performance of EMOIMEE after two years of existence as trust fund operated by Seplat Energy for host community development.
Given the level of done on ground, vis-a-vis the funds so far released to the contractors, the Director of CHRAN, Otuekong Franklin Isong has lauded the management committee of EMOIMEE for keeping to job specifications and the work done so far, in spite of the daily rainfall.
EMOIMEE is the acronym for Seplat Energy’s seven catchment areas that constitute Seplat Energy’s host communities as trust fund management committee
The CHRAN team which had Comrade Lovina Anthony and Comrade Julius Nsikak among others were taken round the project sites by Revd Obot Ekanem, a non executive member of IMOIMEE, Mkpat Enin branch.
CHRAN is an internationally recognised human rights cum pro-democracy organisation committed to promoting good governance, rule of law and holding public office holders accountable to the people.
Its core mandate is to ensure transparency, accountability and good governance in the country by holding public office holders and any organisation which in the exercise of their duties, use public funds.
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