By our correspondent
Farmers in Etung Local Government Area of Cross River State have hailed the judiciary after a High Court issued an interlocutory order restraining government agents from harassing them on their farms.
The court order, secured by beneficiaries of the government-owned cocoa estate, has rekindled hope among the farmers who have been embroiled in a long-running dispute over ownership and access to the estates leased out under the past administration.
At a stakeholdersโ meeting in Bendeghe Ekiem community, the beneficiaries, alongside their legal representatives, described the ruling as a relief from the intimidation and interference they had endured.
Speaking at the gathering, Barrister Emmanuel Orji, who stood in for Mba Ukweni (SAN), explained to community chiefs and landlords the legal weight of the injunction, warning that disobedience of a valid court order amounted to contempt.
โI came to Bendeghe Ekiem at the instance of Mba Ukweni, SAN, who represented the interest of those allocated these farms. The court order is an interlocutory injunction restraining every other person from interfering with farms leased by the government of Prof. Ben Ayade,โ Orji said.
A beneficiary, Prof. Nchor Okorn, said the order had restored his confidence in the judicial system, adding that those who legitimately paid into the state governmentโs account deserved unhindered access to their farms.
โI am a beneficiary of the cocoa allocation to legal beneficiaries. Some of us, including myself, paid money which was deposited into the state account. Therefore, we feel entitled to enter our farms without disturbance,โ he stated.
Backing the claim, a landlord committee member and signatory to the royalties account, Ntufam Benjamin Asu Ndep, disclosed that over โฆ100m was paid, out of which โฆ37m went to the state and โฆ12.5m disbursed to various communities, including Bendeghe Ekiem.
Chairman of the crisis management committee of the Mbume block of clans, Ntufam Mosses Ndep, urged community members to take the court order seriously, warning that ignorance of the law was no excuse.
Meanwhile, some disputed beneficiaries allegedly backed by the present administration declined comments, saying they would make their position known after meeting with the government.
