In a bid to enhance efficiency and transparency in cocoa-related operations within the state, the Governor of Cross
River State, Senator Bassey Edet Otu, has directed the immediate disbandment of the suspended Cocoa Allocation Taskforce and Surveillance Team in the four (4)Government- owned Cocoa Estates in Etung LGA.
This announcement was contained in a press release issued by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Nsa Gill.
The statement further orders the immediate lifting of suspension on Payments of government lease fees to designated banks for one month, effective from the date of this press release, adding that all “beneficiaries must confirm their names on the Cocoa Allocation master list with the designated desk officer, Ministry of Agriculture Ikom, before making payments, as the government will not be held responsible for any erroneous payments.”
Explaining details of cocoa allocation, Nsa outlined in the press release that “counting of lines per hectare remains the same as the Cocoa Allocation Committee agreed, i.e. 14, 12, 10, 14, 8 lines per hectare, respectively.”
Nsa reiterated Governor Otu’s commitment to seeing an end to unnecessary squabbles and infractions in the management of State-owned Cocoa estates.
The Governor’s order is an intervention to an ongoing controversies surrounding the cocoa allocation taskforce and surveillance team.
