The new season of paid attacks comes in a sweetly composed narrative that Mr Ephraim Inyang brought down a couple of mud houses in Awa Iman, Onna Local Government Area in order to convert the said portions of land to a car park for Governor Udom Emmanuel's visitors.
According to the Propeller Newspaper, corroborated by Mr Etorobong Inyang in an article, "Is he a team player or a bully in Udom Emmanuel’s cabinet?"
'Just the other day, he (Ephraim Inyang) allegedly led a team of military men to Awa-the home of the state governor to demolish three thatched houses he believes were defacing the aesthetics of the sprawling mansion of the governor. The Edge News gathered that the houses were pulled down just for the purpose of converting the entire land opposite the governor’s mansion to a car park for his visitors.
The family head of victims of the commissioner’s show of power Mr. Inikon Inikon, lamented, “We were inside our houses, When (Ephraim) Inyang came with a team of military men and asked us to leave but we refused because we have no other place to go.
“The military men started pulling down our houses destroying property worth millions of naira,’’ Inikon, “Look at us, we are homeless, we prayed God to give us a governor, but now we are forcefully ejected from our land.
“They want us the entire Atong Inokon family land to build visitor’s car park for the governor”.'
Mr Etorobong Inyang further betrayed his intentions when he wrote: "
Ephraim Inyang, commissioner for works is seen by many as the power house of the present administration, and he doesn’t seem to pretend playing that role. He hasn’t been able to overcome being controversial and allegations of abusing his office. He’s seen by many as a bully, brute and arrogant in the way he handles the responsibilities of his office. "
Mr Etorobong Inyang's motives are further revealed when he said: "Many people read the body language of the governor through his (Ephraim Inyang) utterances and actions. His behaviour matches his motives-keeping Akpabio’s men far, far from interfering between governor Udom Emmanuel and his government. He is been accused of instigating the governor against the “Akpabio’s men” in Udom Emmanuel’s government, including fight of supremacy."
My take is that this narrative is untrue as it is ridiculous. The doctors of this spin know very little about the tortuous journey to the construction of the Etinan-Ndon Eyo and the Awa-Ikot Nkan roads. I have followed developments there very religiously as the ministry of works attempts to get that road fixed. I can say and rightly so that these roads have suffered unprecedented blockades to its construction because of the attitude of the people in the area who have tried every trick in the books to slow down the pace of work on those projects and force government to succumb to their terms.
As soon as the roads were earmarked for construction, the locals erected all sorts of structures from the superb to the ridiculous to force government to pay compensation. Boreholes, pit latrines, shops, new shrines, tombstones littered both sides of the road. The cost of compensation for those illegal structures was far higher than the cost of building the new road. On the day the government took down those illegal buildings, I spoke with the affected persons and their arguments hinged on the fact that previous governments had paid compensation for 'all' structures and theirs should not be different as power has rotated to their domain. For those who could not afford to put up fresh buildings, they refused to relocate for the contractors to take their right of way after compensation had been paid insisting that the Governor must build them new houses before they move out.
As compelling and persuasive as their arguments are, the question is, how much money can government spend on a particular road for compensation in the face of the harsh economic climate? If the wishes of the people in that part of the state are granted, will other persons not demand for the same treatment? If the Governor begins to erect new buildings for every house brought down, will he not be duty bound to erect new houses for every body in the state whose structure is brought down for the purpose of road construction?
It is then unfair for anybody to hide behind the door to throw shots at Mr Inyang-eyen who is trying his best to deliver good roads to the government and people of the state. His kind of job is not a popular one but someone has to take down buildings obstructing the flow of road construction for the good of all. Someone has to do the job.
The Ephraim Inyang we all know is a humble, hardworking, loyal, trusted, and God fearing man who is not desperate for anything. In Governor Udom Emmanuel's first year in office, his ministry delivered projects that were inaugurated to mark the Governor's first year in office. The gentleman understands that time is of the essence in getting things done. Not even blackmail can deter him. He is highly focused and cares only about the government under Mr Udom Emmanuel succeeding. He is friendly person and tries within his human capacity to impact on the people he meets on a daily basis. It is unfair for these writers to hurl invectives on him.
The ministry of works is making great impacts in the superior performance agenda of this administration and that vision is interpreted by a purpose driven and highly versatile technocrat, Mr. Ephraim Akparawa Inyang-Eyen.
Within the public sphere, there is a renewed sense of trust and belief that the Ephraim Inyang led Ministry of Works is working its socks off to provide adequate, safe and well maintained public works and transportation infrastructure and services such as public buildings, state road network, electro-mechanical installations that support socio-economic transformation and development of the State.
Given Mr Ephraim Inyang's rich experience, exposure, committed work ethic, ability to interpret the vision of the Governor, it is settled that this government is delivering sound critical infrastructure at reasonable cost. The ministry is employing the intellectual, management and material resources available to it to make the state roads functional all the time.
I know Akwa Ibom state is not new to blackmail and falsehood. In fact, the moment to opt to join politics, you must be ready for a fair share of the slice of the pull-him-down cake. But shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Those persons who are waiting to pounce on the commissioner for works at the slightest opportunity are in for a very big disappointment. The gentleman wears like a bootstrap the words of President Barack Obama that politics is not for the faint hearted and so Akparawa Ephraim Inyangeyen soldiers on without pandering to the catcalls of assailants whose bid, is to distract, and cause him to fall with a loud thud.
Source: Aniekeme Finbarr, SA to Gov.(Media)
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