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Ayade’s aide donates food, other items to displaced communities

Published

5 years ago

August 9, 2021

Dr Alfred Mboto, an aide of Gov. Ben Ayade, has donated foods and other items to communities in Osopong Wards 1 and 2 of Obubra Local Government Area of Cross River.

Mboto is the Permanent Secretary, Special Services in Governor’s Office, Cross River.

Mboto, speaking at the occasion on Monday, said that he was moved by the plights of the people who were displaced as a result of the crisis that erupted between them and their neighbouring communities from Ebonyi.

“I am deeply touched by your condition and for some time now, it has been a source of concern to me,” he said.

Mboto called on the International Community to intervene so that peace can return to the affected communities.

The permanent secretary said the gesture was purely on humanitarian grounds and cautioned against using it to score any political point or associate him with it.

He promised to continue to engage relevant stakeholders with a view to addressing the problem that had been bedeviling the people of the communities for long.

He also commended Gov. Ben Ayade for his prompt interventions in such crises, adding that it had shown that he had the interest of the people at heart.

Mboto, however, decried the National Boundary Commission’s (NBC) inability to complete the retracing of boundaries in Cross River having been saddled with the responsibility.

According to him, the commission only started at Yala and ended at Yala and Obudu Local Government Areas respectively, hence, the continued crises in other troubled spots.

In his remarks, Mr Onagha Anthony, the Deputy Leader of Obubra Legislative Council and the Councillor representing Osopong Ward 1, thanked the donor for the gesture.

He said that the communities had been living together peacefully before the recent invasion by their neighbours.

Some of the displaced persons appealed to the state government to come to their aid saying that they had become homeless and were no longer safe in their lands.

Some of communities affected include: Eja, Ijutum, Apiapum-tet, Idoru 1 and 2.