Judex Okoro, Calabar
Boje community in Boki local government area has raised the alarm as weeds and rodents have taken over the secretariat in the last seven years running.
This development has led to the abandonment of council secretariat by council workers who are said to be operating from different villages even as they are enough structures to accommodate them.
Some of the offices said to have been abandoned at the council secretariat in Boje and taken over by weeds and even hoodlums are police station, high court complex, council administrative block, traditional rulers’ council and political block. Some of these structures were built since 2012 and have been allowed to wroth away.
Daily Sun’s investigations showed that since the creation of Boki local government area and subsequent localtion of the council headquarters at Boje, the neighbouring communities of Nsadop and Iso-Bendeghe have been at perpetual conflicts with the Boje people.
These conflicts have led to slow pace of development at the council secretariat and subsequent abandonment by council workers who are said to be operating from different villages even as they are enough structures to accommodate them. Besides, the council has lost substantial revenue.
Expressing worry over the development, the Chairman of Boje Community Association, Mr Charles Kembre, wondered why local government administrators should operate in their private houses, cars and every other make-shift places outside the headquarters.
Kembre said: “Subsequent local government administrators have not seen the need to live and work in Boje, but ran the council in their cars and some, their private homes. This has denied the council and indeed Boki an effective local government administration. You can see now that weeds and rodents have taken over offices built with tax payers’ money.
“There is no gain saying that a local government headquarters should have some basic amenities to attract and persuade the permanent residency of the council staff and indeed others an economic voyage.
“These should include electricity, portable water, GSM facilties, Micro finance banks etc. All these drive development geometrically. The Governor should also consider the plight of Boje as the seat of the local government headquarters and enhance commence in the area through the provision amenities.
Kembre, who regretted that the non-residency and operation of the local government administration from the local government secretariat has encouraged truancy, absenteeism and general ineptitude of the council staff, said there should be a deliberate action by both local and state governments to urgently monitor and implement the delineation of all boundaries on disrepute areas as agreed with Iso-Bendeghe.
Speaking on the need to restore peace, harmony and development in Boki LGA, he said it was high time the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) Boki, immediately returned to Boje, where he is expected to operate from constitutionally and added that the CP needs to enforce it.
“It is sad to note that a magnificent structure meant to accommodate the DPO and his men existed in Boje but not in use. Unfortunately this edifice is left to rot. In the interim, the administration of the Police Force is domiciled outside Boje, This situation must have provided a fertile ground for the previous crises in Boje Clan to fester.”
Also speaking, the clan head of Boje, Otu Leonard Akan, called on both local and state governments to urgently monitor and implement the delineation of all boundaries on disputed areas as agreed with Iso-Bendege.
“For our sister communities of Nsadop, we have agreed to abide by the Appeal Court ruling on our disputed boundaries. We Appeal to Nsadop community that we close ranks and obtain the interpretation of this judgment for our mutual interest and coexistence,” he appealed.