Ukanafun Lawmaker Dragged to Court Over Plot To Sell Dilapidated Bridge
From Unyime BASSEY (Uyo)
All is not well in Ukanafun local government area over alleged moves by member representing Ukanafun State constituency, Hon. Elder Emem Etokabasi Udom to sell off the old dilapidated bridge linking Ukanafun Edem Inyang Village and Nkek Idim village.
It is alleged that plans are on to sell the bridge as waste to a dump site at Kano State for N30m.
In a suit filed at the High Court of Akwa Ibom State in the Ukanafun Judicial Division by family Heads on behalf of Ukanafun Edem Inyang Village, with the Ukanafun lawmaker and Aay Trading Company as the plantiffs, is seeking an order of injunction restraining the defendants/respondents, their agents, servants, privies or assigns from dismantling and evacuating the said bridge.
Our reporter gathered that there was an attempt by Hon. Godwin Inyieng last year to dismantle and sell the same bridge.
A source, who pleaded anonymity, alleged that both Lawmaker (Hon. Udom) and Council boss(Inyieng), all from the Afaha political bloc of Ukanafun local government area are in allegedly in alliance to trade off the old dilapidated bridge which is located in the Ukanafun bloc without consultations with the community.
The source further disclosed that, Hon. Udom, who is alleged to have surreptitiously raised a motion of urgent public importance on the floor of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly on matters relating to the bridge, is said to be parading unverified document which he sent to the Paramount ruler of Ukanafun, purporting that the AKHA has authorised him to sell off the old bridge which was by the then Southeastern State Government about four decades ago.
Our investigation revealed that in 2017, the administration of Chief Godswill Akpabio constructed a new road to link Ukanafun leading to the abandonment of the old road and the bridge which gave rise to the scramble to sell off the bridge.
A letter with Ref. No. AKHA/UKSG/AL/SVol.iii dated 15th September, 2023 indicated that a Kano based company, Aay Trading Company, was given go ahead by the House member to dismantle and evacuate the bridge.
Sensing foul play, community leaders in Ukanafun petitioned the Commissioner of Police in charge of the Akwa Ibom State Police Command, Mr. Olatoye Durosinmi, when some strangers were deployed to start dismantling the bridge.
They urged the Commissioner to investigate the matter and prevent a resort to self help by the community to safeguard the public infrastructure from vandals.
Our source revealed that even after the Police Commissioner swung into action to apprehend the suspects, they made another attempt to continue dismantling the bridge as at Friday, October 13 but were prevented from the hasty dismantling by the quick intervention of the host community.
