Four days to the crucial World Cup tie between the Super Eagles of Nigeria, and the Chipolopolo of Zambia, in Uyo, host communities of the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, venue of the cracker, have taken to the street to protest long neglect by the Akwa Ibom State government.
The youths of the two communities – Obio Etoi and Obio Ofot – who stormed the gate of the stadium on Wednesday morning to register their grievances said the beautiful edifice had brought nothing but suffering to them.
One of the placard which they placed at strategic location round the stadium reads: ”The stadium is beautiful but the communities are suffering.”
Speaking with our correspondent at the gate, the youth leader of Obio Etoi Village, Mr. Sunday Peters, who led the protesters said since 2011 when Julius Berger commenced work at the stadium the villagers had nothing to show.
He expressed disappointment that the construction had made the community become water-logged.
According to him, water from the stadium to the retention lake sometime overflows its bank causing flooding and breeding mosquitoes in the communities.
The village head of the Obio Etoi, Eteidung Ezekiel Inyang Ekott, said the youth did not cause any crisis, adding that they only demonstrated at the stadium gate to draw state government attention to the plights of the host communities.
“We want to let the state government to know that the Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU), entered between the host communities, Julius Berger and the state government has been breached.”
The traditional ruler said several letters from his palace to the state government reminding it of the plight of the host communities had never been responded to.
He complained that whenever it rained the entire village would be submerged.
He said no compensation was paid by the state government on the understanding that they benefitted by way of providing roads and drainages around the village.
Ekott disclosed that government officials had scheduled a meeting with the villagers tomorrow, adding “I have prevailed on the youths to stay action because of the visitor coming for the match on Saturday.”
However he said after the match if government failed to address the plight of the people, the youths would carry out their planned action.
The state Commissioner for Works, Ephraim Inyang, who came to the venue of the protest with Information Commissioner, Mr Charles Udo, said the road had been earmarked for construction but assured the youth that after one week from then work would commence.
