Akwa Ibom State Government intends to set up a committee to handle disbursement of oil spill compensation to affected communities in the state.

Governor Godswill O. Akpabio who announced this on Saturday during Youths’ Rally by Eket Federal Constituency directed local government chairmen to steer clear of the compensation funds.

Akpabio explained that the money is not meant for local government councils and promised to bring in royal fathers into the committee to handle the disbursement of the compensation to check acrionomy.

On the dilapidated Government Secondary School, Afaha Eket, he directed the commissioner for Education to undertake immediate renovation of the school to give it a face-lift. This was in response to the request of the people at the rally.

Commenting on the erosion menace threatening the area, the Governor further directed the commissioner for Environment to assess the extent of damage by embarking on remedial measures to solve the problem.

Senator Effiong Bob representing Akwa Ibom North East in the senate recalled that apart from Isong Akpabio the then Public Affairs Manager of Mobil Producing Nigeria, who constructed most roads in Eket, Governor Akpabio from the same family has also constructed most roads in the area.

Senator Bob pledged the readiness of Akwa Ibom Caucus in the National Assembly, Abuja to team up for his re-election in 2011 and urged him to continue with the development projects in the state.

A one-time chairman of Eket, Chief Sam W. Edohoeket said the Eket people love the Governor for remembering Eket in his development agenda, saying “you are the Moses of our time. Before your arrival, previous state administration did not want to reckon with us, but you have changed that.”

Chief Edohoeket noted that because of the governor’s worthy legacies, the Eket people are ready to vote for him in 2011, however appealing to Akpabio to solve such problems as deplorable Eket-Ibeno Roads, erosion menace, non-payment of oil spill compensation, and dilapidated Government Secondary School, Afaha Eket.

Earlier, the chairman of Eket Federal Constituency Youths Forum, Usoro I. Usoro had recalled that on June 30, this year, the Eket Youths met and decided to organise the rally for the governor based on development projects in the area, nomination of Eket son, Chief Ndueso Essien for appointment as minister and appointment of Eket Youths as Governor’s aides into various capacities.

Other indices, Usoro mentioned, are introduction of free, compulsory education, free medicare for children and elderly of 70 years, construction of 65 roads in Eket Federal Constituency and renovation of dilapidated Immanuel Hospital, Eket.