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Godwin Otang – Calabar
After months of controversy, Cocoa Landlord Communities in Cross River state have finally confirmed to Sunday Tribune, the receipt of 12.5 million Naira being Rent and Royalties owed them by the Cross River state Government.
Sunday Tribune learned that the Cross Cross River State governor Ben Ayade on March 31st commenced payment of rents/royalties owed Etung Cocoa Landlord Communities for the parcels of land they donated to state government to raise Cocoa plantations.
Sunday Tribune noted that the development brought jubilation among the Chiefs and Cocoa Landlord Communities during the Stakeholders Town Hall Meeting held at Joranny Hotels in Ikom, Cross River.
Ayade’s Special Adviser on Cocoa Development and Control, Oscar Ofuka, who broke the news told Etung Landlord Communities that the state Governor, Ben Ayade is passionate as far as payment of Rent and Royalties owed the Landlords as promised earlier.
Ofuka stated that “payment of rent and royalties to the communities was top priority on the agenda of Prof. Ben Ayade’s administration whose major pre-occupation is to see that the Cocoa landlord communities are happy.”
Also Speaking, the state Commissioner for Agriculture Mr Oliver Orok, called for calm, stressing, “that the strategy used to defray the debts remains the best as it provides opportunity for the landlord communities to decide whatever formula to be used in sharing their money.”
However, the Chairman, Cocoa Landlord Communities, Etung LGA Cross River, retired AIG Njar Ngor Egbe Njom, while confirming the alert of 12.5m in a town hall meeting convened by the Cross River State Commissioner for Agriculture Mr. Oliver Orock affirmed the payment.
“You can check my phone if you are in doubt,the money is here”.
The retired AIG who sued for peace and unity of the Landlord Communities said “learn to trust people especially when you grant someone responsibility.
“As a committee set up by our people, our mandate was to make recovery of rent/ royalties owed the cocoa landlord Communities by the state government for the land he occupied.
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