The facility.
By Ita Williams, Calabar
As Cross River State intensifies efforts to rehabilitate critical road infrastructure, community participation is increasingly emerging as a key factor in project success.
One such example played out in Bendeghe Ekiem community, Etung Local Government Area, where former Cocoa Development and Control Adviser to the former Governor Ben Ayade, Dr. Oscar Ofuka, donated a facility to support road construction workers.
The gesture followed the commencement of rehabilitation work on the 10-kilometre Ikom–Obudu road project approved by Governor Bassey Otu.
The building, initially constructed as a police station, has been repurposed to accommodate personnel of Faith Plant Global.
Observers believe such contributions will reduce operational challenges and strengthen collaboration between communities and contractors.
Ofuka said his intervention was motivated by a desire to support development efforts and contribute to societal progress.
“This is my little way of supporting the efforts of government and giving back to society,” he explained.
Traditional leaders welcomed the initiative, describing it as a practical demonstration of public-spirited leadership.
Receiving the facility, on behalf of the Faith Plant Global, (Contractors handling the road project), HRH Ntufam Abraham Asu, Clan Head of Okosoro Clan stressed the essence of providing security and welfare support for workers.
“Dr. Ofuka has prioritised the security of the community and the welfare of those developing the area,” the monarch said.
Beyond the road project, community leaders used the occasion to address tensions surrounding cocoa farm ownership and court-related disputes.
Chairman of the Crisis Management Committee of Mbube Blocks of Clans, Chief Moses Ndep, urged youths to stay away from cocoa farms affected by pending court cases, stressing that respect for legal processes remains essential to sustaining peace and development in the area.
