By Etim Ekpimah
Edo community in the Esit Eket Local Government Area of Akwa
Ibom State has threatened to block the only alternative route that leads to
ExxonMobil facilities in Ibeno, Ibeno LGA.
Our correspondent learnt that the decision to block the road
was predicated on the gradual collapse of the road which leads through Ikot
Afaha and Edo community to Ibeno.
The road was said to be mostly plied by the company’s
workers following the bad state of the main road ─ Eket Ibeno Road.
A resident of the area, Mr. Edoho Ekong, told our
correspondent on Monday that the youths of Edo and Ikot Afaha would soon
protest against the use of the road by the ExxonMobil vehicles.
He said the communities frowned on the poor level of
community relations existing between the company and the host communities,
describing it as unfriendly.
“The lackadaisical attitude of the company to the host
communities include lack of road maintenance, poor facilities in schools, lack
of potable water, zero skill acquisition training and other basic amenities as
part of the company’s corporate social responsibilities to the host
communities,” he said.
Ekong told our correspondent that the newly constructed road
had started to wear out as potholes had appeared from all sections of the road.
He added that the company had yet to think of what to do to
rehabilitate the bad state of the road.
He said, “We are not happy over the level of the company’s
relationship with the host communities. Like this road, the company was
supposed to fill up these potholes since this is the only alternative road they
have been using since the original ‘Grade B’ road has been in a critical
condition.
“We are not happy, the road is gradually getting spoiled by
the day; the ExxonMobil, whose employees are the ones using the road, is not
thinking of repairing the road,” he said.
The Corporate Affairs Manager, ExxonMobil, Ms Regina
Udobong, said the firm had budgeted N1.1bn for projects that would also include
the communities.
She said the company would meet with the paramount ruler of
the area shortly towards strengthening the relationship between the firm and
the community.
Culled from The Punch
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