Etung Landlord Communities Debunk False Narrative On Royalty Payment

July 06, (THEWILL) – Etung Cocoa Landlords Communities in Cross River, have debunked the false narrative on payment of royalties by the state government.

Retired AIG Njangor Egbe Ngom, the chairman of the Etung Cocoa landlord communities, said contrary to allegations made in some segments of the media, the government had commenced payment of years of Cocoa royalties.

He said reports that no dime has been paid is not true and the landlord communities have started receiving their royalties.

In his words, “The news publication is not true; we have been paid some money, although not all.

“The truth is that state government owed us some monies and has paid us part of the money. Out of the monies government

owed us, about thirty something million. We have been paid part of is as landlords.

“That is the old debt owed the landlords, the actual money that is remaining is about N115m, which is yet to come.

“We have about N24m in our account. We would have paid to the communities long ago, it’s just that we want to do the calculations to enable us distribute the money.

“We want to know about the cocoa, in terms of how they yield, identify areas that is called category A, category Band C.

“We have to know where the locations are, which community they belong to, and calculate the money and pay them, otherwise we would have paid all”, he said.

The retired AIG faulted the narrative that money meant for payment of royalties had been diverted into private pockets just because the money delayed in entering the committee’s coffers.

He said the ex-Special adviser on Cocoa Development and Control and the paramount ruler were falsely accused to the extent that later was dethroned from office.

“I told them nobody can divert money when I am here. I am a retired AIG. I’m not only a devoted Christian but a pastor who preaches the gospel of Jesus Christ.

“Apart from Ajassor, Agbokim and Efraya, who are yet to get their money, five out of the eight cocoa landlords’ communities had gotten their money”, he said.

Also speaking, former commissioner for Agriculture, Mr Oliver Orok, affirmed that money had been paid to landlord communities.

He said, “Communities royalties were paid, the former Special Adviser cocoa development and Control acted according to court instructions which directed that payment be paid via Smartgov platform.

“He showed me court papers just as I assumed office as commissioner, and I worked with him, under that arrangement as agreed by land lord communities, and I went with him to Ikom Local Government Area to ensure that I addressed the matter”, he said.

Also speaking, ex-Special Adviser, Cocoa Development and Control, Ntufam Dr Oscar Ofuka,denied any wrong doings alleging that the accusations were masterminded by individuals who have personal issues against him.

He denied allocating Cocoa estates to people after the expiration of his tenure.

He insisted that all allocation ceased when administration of Prof. Ben Ayade wound up its tenure on May 29, nobody had allocated any cocoa plot.

“In fact, we allocated about one thousand and some hectares and about three thousand hectares left for the present government to make allocation.

“The problem associated with landlord communities had been laid to rest, that is one of the greatest achievements of the Ayade’s administration”, he said.