BEKWARRA (CONVERSEER) – The Acting Chairman of Bekwarra Local Government Area in Cross River State, Odama Egbung, has raised alarm over the deplorable condition of key council-owned assets across the LGA, and has directed immediate steps toward their rehabilitation.
Egbung made this known during a tour and on-the-spot inspection of critical infrastructure within the council area, aimed at assessing the true state of facilities which have been either abandoned, underutilised, or left in a dilapidated state.
The inspection team included the Head of Local Government Administration (HOLGA), Anthony Ede; Secretary of Council, Innocent Oshie; Director of Works, Egim Inyiokwe; and other senior local government officials.
Facilities visited during the inspection included the Council Legislative Block, Local Government Staff Quarters, the Bekwarra LG Brick Factory, Youth Resource/Civic Centre, the LG Sports Pavilion, Education Authority Complex, and the popular Ugidi Market.
Speaking at the Legislative Complex, Egbung expressed deep concern over the poor state of the building. He described the condition of councillors’ offices as “disgraceful,” pointing to broken doors, lack of locks, and the complete absence of functional toilets. He directed the Director of Works to prepare a comprehensive report and cost estimate for urgent renovations.
At the Staff Quarters, the Acting Chairman decried the neglect of buildings meant to house council staff, many of which were found overrun by weeds and left unoccupied. While acknowledging that the chairman’s lodge had been converted into a Christian Corpers Fellowship House, he stressed the need to revive the rest of the facility to prevent total asset loss.
The inspection team also visited the LG-owned Brick Factory located within the premises of the staff quarters. He expressed regret over the mismanagement of such a vital economic project and vowed to explore avenues to resuscitate the factory for job creation and revenue generation.
During a visit to the Youth Resource Centre and the adjoining Civic Centre, he assessed the extent of work done so far and emphasised the importance of revitalising youth and recreational activities. He gave similar instructions at the Bekwarra LG Sports Pavilion, calling for urgent repairs to enable sports and community programmes to resume.
The tour concluded at Ugidi Market, where the chairman lamented the congestion caused by poor traffic management and inadequate parking space. He directed that a proper drainage system be designed to address flooding around the New Junction and reduce highway blockages, particularly on market days.
“We cannot continue to allow public assets to waste away,” Egbung said. “These facilities were built with public funds and must serve the people. We will do everything within our power to restore them.”
