Aggrieved residents of Eket local government area, one of the oil and gas host communities in Akwa Ibom State, have given the management board of the Host Community Development Trust (HCDT) Funds 14 days ultimatum to account for the alleged N7.6 billion voted for empowerment and community projects in the last four years.
According to the protesters who marched through some major streets in the oil city yesterday, their action became necessary following alleged discrepancies in the financial allocations to HCDT, maintaining that the management of the funds without transparency and due process, contravened the extant provisions in the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).
The benefiting host communities of Eket, Mbo, Onna,Ikot Abasi,Mkpat Enin and Esit Eket, grouped under the acronym, EMOIMEE, has different Boards managing their funds on behalf of each LGAs, but Eket LGA alleged lack of accountability, and transparency in management of funds by its own Board.
The protesters, drawn from different parts of Eket LGA, marched peacefully while displaying placards with varying inscriptions such as; “Who are the beneficiaries of Contracts, Scholarships and Empowerment?”, “Dismantle the Cabals In Eket EMOIMEE”, “We need Accountability and Transparency”.
Other Placards read: “The Youths Need Skill Acquisition and Transfer of Technology”, “Carry Our Village Heads Along”, “ Mobil/NNPC JV Should Probe EMOIMEE Eket”, among others.
Speaking on behalf of the protesters, Mr Bassey Iyaha, said the demonstration was necessitated by what he described as the “Trust’s persistent failure to give the people accurate and timely information about its activities.”
According to him, repeated efforts to engage the management through formal communications had proved futile, necessitating the demonstration.
“They have refused to give us attention despite several letters requesting a roundtable discussion,” Iyaha, recalled.
He stressed that the protest was aimed at drawing the attention of the management to the growing concerns within the community over the spending of funds without commensurate development projects as captured in the PIA Act.
“From 2021 to 2025, Eket EMOIMEE has collected approximately over ₦7.6 billion, yet there is no tangible development to show for it. This money belongs to the sons and daughters of Eket LGA; it is not meant for a particular group of people.
“This is a warning protest. After 14 days, if they do not come out to explain how the money collected has been spent, we will escalate our actions. It is our money, and we have the right to know,” he warned.
Responding, the Administrative Officer of the Eket EMOIMEE Trust, Mr Imo Udogha, acknowledged the protest and described it as a legitimate expression of civic rights.
“The people have the right to protest and air their grievances. Thankfully, their protest is peaceful. I understand they had written to the Trust and are yet to receive a response. From what I gather, this protest is meant to prompt a response to their request.
“I am going to see how to solve the problem by seeing how we can necessitates and facilitates meetings so that they can sit with the management to articulate this issues and collectively solve the problem,” Udogha assured.
