RESIDENTS of Ifako village, a local community in Odukpani Local Government Area of Cross River State, have appealed to the state government over lack of basic social amenities due to alleged neglect by the successive administrations in the state.
The people made the appeal recently when Nigerian Tribune carried out a fact-finding visit to the community to evaluate the extent of development within the area.
Nigerian Tribune gathered that one of the major challenges faced by the community is the lack of access to electricity. ‘It is very disturbing to note that we have been cut off from the national grid for more than nine years now.
“We have been living in darkness, only seeing electricity when we travel out of our community. This is distressing and we have endured it for too long,” the chairman of the Okoyong Traditional Rulers Council, Obon Ita Okon lamented.
The traditional ruler told Nigerian Tribune that the community has no road network and education system of the area in a shambles.
“The lack of motorable roads made it difficult for villagers to transport their agricultural produce from farm to the urban area. We don’t have any school here and the nonavailability of secondary schools forced our children to travel far distance for their education.
“While many communities flourish and advance, others such as our Ifako community is deteriorating,” Okon said.
A retired state civil servant, Deno Okon Akiba, corroborated the monarch’s premise, adding that despite the fact that state government runs free education system, what parents are paying as school fees for their wards is too cumbersome.
He pointed out that the absence of a police post in the area contributes to unease among residents, especially the youth.
Akiba called for the establishment of a police station and a healthcare center in Ifako-Okoyong to improve the community’s safety and increase accessibility to healthcare services.
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