New Yam Festival: Utugwang Nation Moves To Address Inaccessible Roads, Electricity, Water, Insecurity Challenges

… call for FG, State and Local Government interventions.

By David Odama

Residents of Utugwang Nation in Obudu Local Government Area of Cross River State, have cried out to the Federal, State and Local Government authorities to help provide and restore access roads power and water supply which have left the people prone to all manners of hardship and uncertainties.

They have therefore requested for the intervention of the three tiers of government to address these teething issues.

President General of Utugwang Solidarity Group, Professor Moses Adah Agana made the call at a meeting with Community Leaders, Traditional Rulers, and Leaders of Thought over the forum’s plan to host the maiden edition of the new yam festival and other activities designed to address some of the challenges confronting the community.

According to Professor Agana, the first ever new yam festival celebration is to bring together Sons and Daughters of the Utugwang Nation, and friends of Utugwang Community to fashion out ways of addressing the challenges confronting the people over the years.

“The call is to enhance access good rods, portable water, and electricity. This will help to promote the economy of the Utugwang People and stem the outbreak of water-borne diseases, restore public electricity, provide access to markets as well as farm roads and stem the increasing insecurity and provide other social amenities lacking over the years.

“The only sources of water serving the Utugwang Nation are broken hand pumps and stream water, which might trigger outbreak of diseases.The authorities concerned should take urgent rehabilitation of these amenities.

Professor Agana said Utugwang is an egalitarian community blessed with hardworking, techno-driven and politically enlightened men and women at the centre of the socio-political and economic development of Obudu, Cross River State and Nigeria in general, but has continuously remained underdeveloped and relegated by successive administrations.

The Utugwang Solidarity Group National President, also urged the Cross River State Police Commissioner, to establish a police division in Utugwang which shares boundaries with Benue State and other neighbouring Local Government Areas (Bekwarra,Boki and Ogoja) in order to curb the threatening insecurity in the area.

Also speaking on the planned new yam festival, the Chairman of the Publicity Committee, Professor Jacob Agba said the Utugwang New Yam celebrations is tailored towards promoting the culture of its people, promote peace and unity, as well as the socio-economic development of the people.

According to a statement issued and made available to Journalists, the Utugwang New Yam celebration will feature talent hunts designed to reduce youth restiveness, drug abuse and other vices, best Yam Farmer, best Palm Wine Tapper Traditional Cuisines competition, Dancing competition, inter alia.

The statement further explained that the celebration sponsored by the Utugwang Solidarity Group, is in collaboration with the Traditional Rulers’ and Elders’ Council, aimed at forging unity among the seven communities and eight Clans of Utugwang Nation in order to promote the needed development.

The statement therefore called on all sons and daughters of Utugwang; at home and in diaspora, as well as friends of the Utugwang Nation to come and identify with the Utugwang Nation in its quest to unite the people and develop the people.