Bakassi Returnees Complete Home’s Balloting

The Rivers State government has completed the balloting of the thirty- nine (39) housing units allocated to the state’s Bakassi returnees by the Federal Government.

The exercise which was held for four days this week took place in four local government areas of the state, Khana, Gokana, Andoni and Okirika where the returnees hail from.

At the end  of the balloting exercise, eight winners emerged in khana local government area  which had a total number of 165 returnees, 10 person’s won in Gokana council area , which comprises of 272 returnees, 14 winners emerged in Andoni council area which had the highest number of returnees,462 while in Okirika council area no balloting took place because the returnees from that region were absent, but however, seven winners emerged based on discretion as directed by the allotees in which names were randomly picked from a total number of 150 returnees from the area.

Addressing newsmen shortly after the exercise, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Special Duties, Chief Tony Wokekoro who led a team of staff from the Ministry for the exercise said those who won would receive the keys to the new apartments soon.

Chief Wokekoro congratulated the successful recipients of the houses and thanked the state and Federal Governments for their efforts in rehabilitating displaced Nigerians from Bakassi Peninsular.

He promised to relay some of the complaints of the returnees to the appropriate quarters for prompt actions.

Meanwhile, some of the successful beneficiaries expressed joy in appreciation to Federal government for the housing scheme but sought the State government help to rehabilitate them in their communities.

It would be recalled that the Federal Government last year February allocated 208 housing units to different states whose indigenes were displaced in Bakassi, in which Rivers State was allocated 39 housing units for its citizens resident in Bakassi.

The 39 housing units are located in Ikang Camp in the new Bakassi Local Government Area of Cross River State.