...As Host Community Rejects CLO
Midim community in Essien Udim Local Government has withdrawn her Community Liaison Officer, Unyime Augustine Mel in the Midim Utu-Etim Ekpo road construction as the project suffers setback.
This is contained in a letter to the Hon Commissioner of Works & Fire Service in the state Ministry of Works, titled, ''Replacement of Unyime Augustine Mel'', dated 25th July 2024 and signed by Chief Victor Udom, Village head-elect of Midim Atan and Leader of the five villages in Midim Community other signatories include Pastor Donald Dickson, Dean- Forum of Ex Village Council Chairmen, Chief Ekikere Sunday Udoekong, Chairman, Forum of Family Heads and Chief Udoidung Daniel, village heads representative of the five villages that make up Midim Community in Essien Udim Local Government area.
According to them, their decision to withdraw the CLO was in the overall interest of Midim community as well as the image of the state government and NSIK Engineering - the contract firm, which was being jeopardized as a result of the lackadaisical attitude of the outer CLO.
''His withdrawal is based on adamance and disregard to Midim community; failure to honour repeated invitations to brief the village on the progress and challenges of the project for over five months after his appointment, refusal to submit numerous correspondences from the community, failure to organize for periodic meetings to brief the parties as expected, indulgence in sharp practices and other infractions detrimental to the smooth execution of the project.
For instance, the said Unyime Mel refused to submit Midim community correspondence to the contractor, dated 24 May, 2024 and another one, which was written on June 18, 2024.
''The last straw that broke the carmel's back is when he failed to submit a third letter that requested for a meeting with the contractor, which was endorsed by Two (2) Clan heads and about (8) village heads from the stakeholders of all beneficiary communities in Essien Udim and Etim Ekpo LGA, who gathered in Anwa Udom to chat a way forward for the project success.
The community accused him of attempting to move meetings from Anwa Udom, the ancestral community town hall to his Uncle's, Celestine Mel's compound with the intent of causing chaos and crises
In addition, he is accused of collecting the sum of fifty thousand naira from one Chief Tom Benson, being community dues for beneficiaries of site location payment and for allegedly demanding kickback from one Mr. Sunday Bassey from Ikot Inyang Udo who already made a part payment of Twenty nine thousand naira out of one hundred and fifty thousand he demanded from the owner of a plot that was used as 'borrow pit' by the last contracting company, threatening to direct the contractor to source for a borrow pit from outside the community if the community prospective site owners do not agree to part with 30% of the negotiated payment amongst many others
Therefore, miffed by these allegations and other regrettable blunders which the ousted CLO has bluntly refused to deny or clarify in defense after many invitations to do so '' the community hereby request for immediate replacement of Mr. Unyime Augustine Mel as CLO for Midim- Atan- Utu -Etim Ekpo road construction with the Youth President, Mr. Goodluck Peter as the interim CLO, pending when the substantive CLO will be nominated after due consultations and considerations".
They appealed that the contractor, NSIK Engineering Construction LTD, ends all further dealings with Unyime Mel as he is not representing them.
They also requested that the state Ministry of Works directs the contractor to honor the host community's request for a meeting to explain the reasons for the slow pace of work as in about six months after flag off, even as they demand update of payment from the contractor for crops and structures that came on the right of way amongst other concerns.
The community reiterated their resolve to stop at nothing in ensuring that the project is executed and completed according to approved design and timeline in line with Pst. Umo Eno's Arise Agenda blueprint as further set backs from anyone be it the CLO, contractor or even members of host villages will not be permitted.
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