Akwa Ibom Commences Compensation Payments to Sterling Petrochemical and Fertilizer Plant Host Communities
The payment of compensation to affected property owners inside the Lagos Fishing Settlement in relation of the Sterling Petrochemical and Fertilizer Plant in Eastern Obolo Local Government Area has been flagged off by the Akwa Ibom State Government.
Flagging off the payment yesterday with the presentation of cheques, the Honourable Commissioner for Lands and Water Resources, Pastor Umo Eno noted that Governor Udom Emmanuel is passionate about bringing meaningful development to the State adding that in addition to other industries made possible by the Governor, he has facilitated the Sterling Petrochemical and Fertilizer Plant to be sited in Eastern Obolo.
Pastor Umo Eno disclosed that the Sterling Petrochemical and Fertilizer Plant will be one of the biggest in the east of the Niger and will generate lots of employment directly and indirectly in the State; adding that the company will lead to other Industrial activities in the area and a general boom of commerce in Eastern Obolo Local Government Area.
According to him, “the Governor is desirous of moving Akwa Ibom State from a normal civil service State that he met on assumption of office in 2015, to an industrialized State. We have seen his hand writing and signature all round the State. This is just one of them.
“In doing this, it requires some sacrifice on the part of the State and its citizens, because you cannot make omelette without breaking eggs, and this is one of them. So we want to thank all of you for conceding that place for business and industrialization. We celebrate you for the sacrifice you have made and for understanding that this is an industry that will last for all of us, and our children yet unborn will also parttake in the industry,” he said.
The Commissioner thanked Governor Udom Emmanuel for taking development beyond the metropolis to the hinterlands, stressing that the Governor was doing it out of great benevolence as funds were no longer available as they were.
He noted that despite the paucity of funds, the Governor has gone out of his way to ensure that funds are available for the payment of compensations adding that since he assumed office as the Commissioner for Lands and Water Resources, the Government has made payment of compensations to different deserving communities.
While urging the community to cooperate with the Government and Sterling Petrochemical company to achieve the set objectives, he prayed for more blessings and wisdom upon the Governor to enable him fully deliver on the completion agenda.
In a good will message, the Secretary of the Community Relations Committee, Barr Sam Ukoima thanked Governor Udom Emmanuel who, according to him is vast in the establishment of industries, for facilitating the location of the company in their community.
In his words, “the Honourable Commissioner sir, I believe that through our various discussions, you must have realized that we as a people are very happy to have this wind of development blowing to our Local Government Area. That is why we have made a lot of sacrifices in order to arrive at what we have today.
“I want to specially thank the Honourable Commissioner for Lands and Water Resources, Pastor Umo Eno for the empathy, humility and human face he displayed in the course of the negotiations. This disposition made it possible for us to achieve this feat today,” he said.
He appealed to the community members to organize themselves peacefully and cooperate with the company for their benefit and the overall benefits of the State.
On his part, the Chairman of one of the host communities, Dr. Gamaliel Harry commended Governor Udom Emmanuel for his focus on the industrialization drive which he said is the real dividend of democracy and not the handouts as given by some politicians.
In his word, “we are happy that this is happening today. We are the host community that are hosting the Lagos Fishing Settlement, and coincidentally, I happened to be the Chairman and we also have a co-Chairman. We hope that the people will relocate soonest, and the company will start work so that in future, we will benefit more than what we have today.
“As a people, we are happy to be part of the industrialization process. The Governor is doing very well because at the end of the day, that is what counts more. People talk of dividend of democracy, but some people think that it is about giving hand outs, but this is something that will last for posterity, so we are happy.
“We have to accept what has been offered to us as part of our contribution to our own development and the development of the State as a whole.
The Chairman therefore urged members of the community to accept the compensation and relocate from the property in order to give way for Sterling Petrochemical and Fertilizer Plant to commence development in the area.
