Group demands immediate reinstatement of EMOIMEE Head of Management Committee
…accuses BOT Chairman, members of high-handedness
Youth group in South South geopolitical zone of Nigeria under the aegis of Niger Delta Youth Development & Partnership Initiative, NDYDPI, has called for urgent reinstatement of Head, Management Committee of EMOIMEE (EMOIMEE is an acronym that covers the 7 LGAs of Eastern Obolo, Mbo, Onna, Ikot Abasi, Mkpat Enin, Eket and Esit Eket in the Host Community Development Trust, HCDT) Dr. Linus Akpanim, describing his disengagement by the Board of Trustees as ill-conceived with sinister motive.

Dr. Linus Akpanim
The group maintained that the sudden removal from office of Dr. Linus Akpanim, few days after the successful hosting of 1st Annual General Meeting, AGM of the Trust has left many to wonder the underlying factor behind this suspicious motive of the Board, noting that their action is to cause hostility in Ekid land and by extension, Akwa Ibom State.
Speaking on phone from Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital, the National Coordinator of the group, Comrade Franklin Usen, stated that members of the group from Eket Federal Constituency, have been properly briefed and received several reports of mismanagement of funds run into billions of Naira accrued to the three local government areas of Eket, Esit Eket and ONNA respectively, insisting that they will resist every attempts to turn EMOIMEE Trust into another NDDC where money meant for development are siphoned to private pockets.
Bishop Helen Esuene, Chairman, Board of Trustees, EMOIMEE PIA Trust
They questioned the rationale for the surreptitious decision to disengage Dr. Akpanim without any query or suspension as the case may be, for a crime he has committed to warrant the sack, noting that the action is the same as a military regime where people are thrown into prison without knowing the crime they have committed.
Comrade Usen queried why Dr. Akpanim is not given a fair hearing to defend himself if there is any petition against him, accusing the Board of Trustees of high-handedness in dealing with community issues, which has the tendency of causing a breach of peace in the area. The group also immediately demanded to have a copy of the perceived petition written by Mr. Nsudoh Samuel Nsudoh, the member representing Eket LGA in the Non Executive Committee of EMOIMEE HCDT, calling for a reverse of the decision of the Board for peace to reign and development to thrives in Eket Federal Constituency.
“We the leadership of Niger Delta Youth Development & Partnership Initiative, NDYDPI, have been properly briefed on the happenings in EMOIMEE Host Community Development Trust aimed to develop the oil bearing communities that have been exploited over the years by international oil companies, IOCs to the detriment of our people.
“The idea by the Settler, ExxonMobil Corporation to put up this Trust is highly commendable, but we are perturbed with the happenings in the Trust since inception.
“We have read several reports of mismanagement of funds meant for developmental projects, which are found in the pockets of few individuals. We are also aware of plethora of petitions filed with security agencies while some people have already approached the court, seeking for transparency and accountability in the management of PIA funds.
“In as much as we don’t want to interfere with development activities in our communities, we will not fold our hands and watch few opportunists swallow the huge funds that should have changed our communities for good.
“We are concerned about the plight of Dr. Akpanim that was sacked immediately after the 1st Annual General Meeting, AGM, which he worked round the clock to ensure the success of that meeting. We are perplexed that few days after the AGM, he was fired by BOT without committing any malfeasance in the discharge of his duty. This is the height of high-handedness by the Bishop Helen Esuene led Board of Trustees and we condemn such act in its entirety.
“NDYDPI is more worried the silence among Esit Eket leaders of thought, especially the immediate past ALGON Chairman in Akwa Ibom State, Rt. Hon. Engr. Iniobong Robson, who recommended Dr. Akpanim to come and serve Esit Eket people in the Trust, based on his conviction of Dr. Akpanim’s capacity, competence and capability with his track records of performance in the oil and gas industries. What went wrong that the audacious Mkpisong Iniobong Robson is not speaking up on why one of their sons is removed from office without pointing to him his crime?
“Bishop Helen Esuene is a revered mother of Ekid and we know she has many businesses in Eket Local Government Area. She has occupied several political offices and knows procedures to follow in terminating someone appointment. Our only fear is that there are too many politicians that are influencing her decisions which will have dire consequences if not properly checked. As the global community today marks the International Human Rights day with the theme: Our Rights, Our Future, Right Now, Dr. Akpanim has the right to fair hearing and should be told his offence.
“What we want is the immediate reinstatement of Dr. Linus Akpanim and all his entitlement paid. Our organization has already beamed a searchlight on the perpetrators of this heinous crime against their brother just because he has refused to be involved in unwholesome activities that will be counterproductive to the aims of the Trust.
“We are calling for a reverse of running EMOIMEE Trust as NDDC, as our organization will resist every attempt to deny the people the real development that has human face. NDYDPI join all well meaning sons and daughters of Eket Federal Constituency to demand for transparency and accountability in the management of PIA Trust funds, as anything on the contrary will boomerang.
“While we commend Governor Umo Eno for his dedication and commitment to deliver life touching programmes especially rural development activities in Akwa Ibom State in line with his ARISE Agenda Policy, we urge him to please intervene in the void created by EMOIMEE BOT before it spirals into something that will be difficult to contend with.
NDYDPI calls on youths in Eket, Esit Eket and ONNA to embrace peaceful coexistence while effort is made to address the anomaly.