By Tom Moses

EDEM EKPAT— RESIDENTS of Edem Ekpat, Etinan Local Government Area, Akwa-Ibom State are at daggers drawn with E. T. Dicks Construction Company, the firm handling the Ikot Akpabio-Edem Ekpat/Ndon Eyo-Oniong Road projects in the state over alleged destruction of their property and contamination of their only source of drinking water.

The road projects were awarded to the Federal Government interventionist agency, company by the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC. The villagers accused the firm of poor construction work, denigrating and destroying graves, farmlands and residential quarters of an indigene, Dr. Paul Noah.

The community also claimed the company routed rain water to damage the only source of drinking water for the community, denigrated family graves and the residential quarters of Dr. Paul Noah, an indigene of the community.

Village head, elders avert mayhem

It took the intervention of Ete Idung (Village Head) and other elders to avert a breakdown of law and order in the community, last Friday, when the youths attempted to picket the work site. Dr. Noah, who spoke to our reporter, lamented that the construction company, E. T. Dicks Construction Company, deliberately channelled flood water to destroy his property, farmland, crops, economic trees, ecological damage and degradation.

According to him, the poor quality of work by the construction company, earlier in December 2014, provoked the community to stage a protest, only for the company to channel flood to cause havoc to the community. Noah said the company should compensate the community for contaminating their only source of drinking water and damage to their farmlands.

He added that he should be compensated for the damage to his property, economic trees and family’s grave, which he said is sacred. At press time, efforts by Niger Delta Voice to reach officials of the company, E. T. Dicks Construction Company, were rebuffed.