Mr. Oscar Ofuka, Chairman, Cross
River Cocoa Technical Management Team, has condemned the recent burning of the
Benbege Cocoa Plantation and Settlement in Etung Local Government Area of the
state.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)
recalls that some unidentified youths from the area set the plantation and
hundreds of building in the settlement on fire two weeks ago.
The youths were said to have been
angered by the constitution of the first technical management team for the
plantation which according to them, did not favour the area.
Ofuka told NAN in Calabar on Sunday
that the action of the youths was completely in contrast with the objectives of
the state government to revitalise cocoa industry in the state.
“Setting fire on the cocoa
plantation and settlement is unacceptable for whatever reason. It is
counter-productive.
“We know that with the dwindling
fortunes of the naira, coupled with inflation, each cocoa stem and
infrastructure ravaged was worth millions of naira,” he said.
The chairman described the damage as
monumental, saying that those found responsible for the act would soon be made
to face the law.
He appealed to the chairman of the
local government council, the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) and
public-spirited individuals to assist the victims of the fire incident.
Ofuka also assured the victims of
the willingness of the state government to assist them in their present
predicament.
The chairman said that the victims
of the inferno would be given special consideration as soon as rehabilitation
work commences in the settlement.
He said the state government was
irrevocably committed to the revamping of cocoa industry in the state.
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