Youth protest against Governor Ayade’s SA on cocoa

There is disquiet already as youths of Etung local council in Cross River State are protesting against the SA to the governor on cocoa, Mr. Oscar Ofuka over the lopsided dealings in the allocation of plots as well as failure to pay compensation to landlord communities in the estates who are the bonafide owners of cocoa.

The economic crop is the major economic earner for the State following the ceding of some oil wells to a neighboring State which has impacted the State’s earnings from the federation purse.

And fielding questions on a telephone conversation with a Lens reporter from Efraya headquarters of the council, a youth leader who does not want his name mentioned wondered why the government is still retaining the services of Ofuka and retired AIG Njar Ngor led cocoa committee which triggered their actions after the community had dissolved them and set-up the retired AIG Joseph Mbu led cocoa landlords committee to supervise the affairs of the community.

He called for the removal of Ofuka and the appointment of a competent person by the State government to handle the business of the office to avoid the breakdown of law and order while restoring stability in the system.

It would be recalled that Ofuka recently survived a kidnap attempt over the power tussle bothering on cocoa matters in the State.

The effort by our reporter to reach Mr. Ofuka for comment on the issue was futile as at the time of filing this report.

By: Archibong Emmanuel
(Snr. Reporter)