Monarch Demands N30m Royalty From Ayade To Avert Crisis In His Domain

Paramount ruler of Etung LGA in Cross River State, HRM Ntue-Atue Dr. Emmanuel  Oru Ojong has asked Cross River State Governor, Prof. Ben Ayade to pay the N30 million royalty the state government is owing the five landlord communities in Etung where government cocoa is planted.

The monarch made the demand while refuting allegations levelled against him by his kinsmen that he collected money meant for royalty from the state government and did not remit it to five cocoa estate landlord communities in the council area.

The monarch listed the five landlord communities of the Cross River Cocoa Estate to include, Etomi, Ajasor, Bendeghe Ekiem, Abia and Agbokim, adding that nonpayment of royalty to the land owners has caused crises in his domain.

“These five communities are the landlords of the estates where cocoa is produced and when government wanted to privatise the estates, I set up a committee which took government to court and we won. But for 12 years, government has refused to remit royalty to the communities.

“Because of the non-payment of the royalty, there is tension in the area and as I speak to you now, there is a purported letter from the Chairman of Etung LGA, John Nkom Etuk, that I have been suspended, leading to the seizure of my salary since April,” he said.

The monarch threatened  to seek redress from court should the council chairman fail to retrace his steps regarding his suspension. 

“He has disgraced me a lot. He has no right to threaten me like that. For smearing my name, and for purporting to get me suspended which he does not have the right to do, I would seek redress in court,” he said.