Despite its abundant natural resources in oil, gas and sea foods, Oro ethnic nationality of Akwa Ibom State has decried the continued marginalization by both the federal and state governments which has hindered rapid development of the area.
Stakeholders from that part of the state recently lamented non-availability of infrastructures and economic development of the area.
“There’s no gainsaying that the politically motivated, economically untenable and ill-advised decision to relocate the harbour of the deep seaport from the historically validated, globally acclaimed and professionally certified most suitable location at Ibaka in Mbo Local Government Area of Oro, Akwa Ibom State, through the premeditated reports of obviously unprofessional consultants, is part of the counterproductive agenda of political marginalization, economic deprivation and social emasculation against Oro people,” Chris Abasi Eyo, leader of Oro Think Tank, said.
On the seaport project, Abasi-Eyo said the technical committee constituted by the leadership of Oro is at work and will speak at the appropriate time when it must have concluded its findings on the matter.
“It is noteworthy that none of the state government-owned or promoted industries is sited anywhere near Oro or federal constituency. Equally, five years since the start of work on the dual carriage way from the Airport junction, through Nsit Atai to Oron, the pace of work, is unfortunately circuitous and unimpressive. Is it a coincidence? Is there justification for this?”
In a statement in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital on Sunday, Abasi-Eyo, said it was not too late for Governor Udom Emmanuel to review his administration’s policy on political appointments, allocation of infrastructures and siting of industries to appropriately include Oro and its people in the scheme of things.
This, he said, will give the Oro people a sense of belonging. At the moment, “Oro people rightly feel marginalized, deprived, oppressed, alienated and dehumanised by the way they are treated in their own state. The governor still has the opportunity to prove these errors are inadvertent.
“We urge the governor to revisit these decisions with a view to righting the glaring wrongs against Oro or Oron federal constituency if he wants to be on the right side of history,” he s