N4m tears community apart in Ebonyi
…As company, govt official trade words over bribery allegation
The health implications of quarry activities to humans notwithstanding, Ukawu community in Onicha Local Government Area of Ebonyi State has been embroiled in lingering crisis resulting from illegal mining activities in the area.
The crisis seems to have degenerated following accusation and counter accusation of bribery, character assassination, and also to dissolve the committee set- up by the state government to wade into the matter over fear of bias between the company, Ostem Global Ltd and the Coordinator of Ukaba Development Centre, Prince John Elom.
Ostem Global Ltd had petitioned Ebonyi state government that Hon. Prince Elom, who is the Coordinator of Ukaba Development Centre allegedly used his office and the name of the governor to swindle the company of a staggering sum of N4 million .
The letter also alleged that the coordinator demanded another N2.5 million and a cow in order to pave way for the company to carry out illegal mining.
The petition which was dated December, 2017 was titled: Abuse of office, conduct orchestrated to bring disrepute to Ebonyi state government, continuous threats to lives and property and conduct orchestrated to cause breach of peace in Ukawu community by Prince John Elom, Coordinator of Ukaba Development Centre was addressed to the governor, Engr. David Umahi.
However, Prince John Elom through his Counsel, D. I. Njoku & Co had described the letter of Ostem Global Ltd as defamatory. He said his client had no time make any bribery demand from the company or any other person or governor’s name to allow the company to continue its illegal mining.
He added that the allegation was made with the sole aim to ridicule the image and hard earned reputation of his client and ordered that the company should tender a public unreserved apology to John Elom within one month.
In a related development, President of Amofia Ezeoke Odomu Ugbala of Ukaba Development Centre in Onicha local government area of Ebonyi state, Hon. Prince John Elom, has called on the Ebonyi state to revisit the members of the mining committee, alleging bias.
He said through his Counsel, “Our attention has been drawn to the committee constituted by the ministry to look into the remote causes of the crisis rocking the mining activities at Ukawu community as a result of the illegal mining activities in the community.
“It is our information that some of the members of the committee were indicted for their involvement in the illegal mining at Oferekpe Amamukpuma and Okuzzu respectively and therefore unfit to the members of this committee in view of the nature of the mandate of the committee.
“We respectively request that the committee as it is presently constituted be dissolved and a new committee be set up, the members who should come from outside Ukaba who must be neutral persons who have no vested interest in this case be constituted to allay the fears of our client on the position of the members likelihood of being bias.
“We most respectively urge you sir to re-visit the constitution of the committee as it concerns its members in view of the above reference made on the positions of the members of the committee”, he requested.
Edward Nnachi, Abakaliki
