Community commends NGO for embarking on 5,000 housing unit project

The people of Ikpa Nkanya, Akpabuyo Local Government Area, Cross River, have commended an NGO, African Nations Development Programme (ANDP), for embarking on a 5,000, two-bedroom housing unit project in the area.

A cross section of the people made the commendation in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ikpa Nkanya on Sunday.

Gov. Ben Ayade, who provided 250 hectares of land for the project, performed the ground- breaking ceremony of the project last week.

Mr Asuquo Effiong, a fisherman, said that the project came at the right time and described the project as the greatest gesture for the people of the area in past decades.

Effiong said that shelter for the poor and the Bakassi returnees in the area had been a great challenge to government for years now.

“We are praying that the project will come to a reality. It will be a happy moment for us when completed.‘’It looked like we have been abandoned, but now there is hope from unexpected quarters,” he said.

He also thanked the state government for providing the 250 hectares of land for the project adding that it was an indication that the state government had the people in mind.

Mr Edet Umoh described the project as another practical effort by the state government and the NGO to mitigate the suffering of the Bakassi returnees in the area.

“Since we were sacked from our original home and our land given to Cameroon, we have been hearing stories of efforts to resettle us. Until now, nothing concrete has happened.

“But with what we witnessed at the ground breaking ceremony, it appears there is light at the end of the tunnel,” he said.

The Village Head of Ikpa Nkanya, Mr Edet Okon, said the people were watching with keen interest, the realisation of their dream.

“I thank ANDP for the project, and the state government for proving land for the project. For now, we are still dreaming. We will wait till when the dream becomes a reality.

“They told us that the estate will contain a standard school, fully equipped hospital, standard market, police station and recreational facilities.

“This will be marvelous; we thank them for the gesture and eagerly wait to see it happens in full,” he said.