The Cross River State Government has insisted that the proposed demolition of structures within the Water Board premises in Calabar is aimed at reviving water supply in the state capital and is not a politically motivated exercise.
Special Adviser to Governor Bassey Otu on General Duties, Ekpenyong Akiba, stated this while responding to allegations by PDP deputy governorship candidate, Barr. Alphonsus Eba, who claimed the demolition was designed to target his residence.
Akiba said the Water Board facility was established solely for water production and distribution and should not have been converted into a residential area. According to him, reclaiming the premises is essential to restoring efficient water services for residents.
He blamed the current situation on previous allocations that allowed residential buildings to spring up within the facility, despite worsening water shortages across Calabar.
The governor's aide explained that critical water pipelines run beneath some of the affected structures, making maintenance and rehabilitation impossible without excavation.
He further disclosed that the planned exercise is a key requirement for implementing a World Bank and African Development Bank-backed water project, which he said has remained on hold for about two years because the pipelines are inaccessible.
Rejecting claims of political persecution, Akiba maintained that the demolition would affect several properties beyond those linked to opposition figures, including buildings belonging to serving government officials, retirees, and even government-owned structures.
He also revealed that one of the properties marked for demolition allegedly belongs to a serving commissioner in Governor Otu's administration, although he declined to identify the official.
Akiba assured that the government would follow due process by issuing the required notices before any demolition begins and said relocation would be considered where necessary.
He argued that the exercise is intended to correct past administrative decisions and restore the Water Board to its original purpose of providing potable water to residents of Cross River State.
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