The Rukpokwu Town council chairman, Mr. Agorondu Woke, has cleared some speculations hanging in the air that the Rukpoku community in Obio/Akpor local government has backed out of any former agreement with the government agency, the Greater Pot Harcourt Development Authority.
The chairman made the clarification at the palace of the traditional ruler during an interaction with media men on February 9, 2012. The town council chairman who was a former youth president of the community said it was expedient to give the true side of the story so that people will not misrepresent issues.
Mr. Agorondu dismissed any misunderstanding with the GPH Development Authority over land to be acquired by the authority for development purposes in Rukpoku community.
“Rukpoku community is very peaceful and they are not in dispute with the Rivers state government”, he stated.
On the issue GPH encroaching on their land, Mr. Woke said change is inevitable and their community must move with change in the interest of development, but assured that there must be an alternative for those that are going to be affected.
He stated that in the past, GPH development authority has discussed with the community but agreed that the agency will sensitize the community which they are still expecting, with the study of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) on the affected land.
The town council chairman said that they have earlier sent a delegation to the agency assuring them that they are in support of what they are doing in their community, but warned that anything they are doing must have human face, pointing out that their community will enjoy from its programmes, and that those whose land will be affected should be compensated.
On whether the Greater Port Harcourt has started the compensation exercise in Rukpoku, he said everything is rumour for now, but appealed to the authority that the community should be carried along in the scheme of things.
Mr. Woke said even if the Greater Port Harcourt Development wants to started work in their community they will not take the land into their hands as they are law abiding community.
He said the community is not supposed to remind the GPH their duty as they have promised to sensitize them in the past.
Mr. Woke explained that the paramount ruler has intervened so that hoodlums will not wreak havoc in the community over a radio interviews on the issue which were personal opinions of some members of the community, but did not emanate from the chief-in-council.
He emphasized that the Rukpokwu is not in dispute and can never be with the state government. He therefore, asked the local government council to also join in sensitizing the people on what needed to be done and there should be synergy between the GPH, the Obio/Akpor LGA and the Rukpokwu Community.
On whether there was any house destroyed by Greater Port Harcourt, Mr. Woke said as at the time of the interview they have not done any assessment or verification to determine which building will go. ###
Pius Dukor
