Yakurr Local Government was created out of Obubra Local Government in 1987. it has its boundary with Abi, Obubra, Biase and Akamkpa Local Government Areas. It comprises of 13 wards and is inhabited by the people of Agoi, Ibami Assign, Mkpani, Ekon, Nko Ugep and Idomi. The dominant language is Yakurr. The people of Yakurr Local Government Area are largely farmers and celebrate new yam festival. The most pronounced festival in Yakurr is “Leboku” the projected population of Yakurr is about 140,000.

AGRICULTURE PRODUCTS
Yakurr Local Government Area produces Yam, Cocoyam Cassava, Plantain, Okro, Beans, Maize and Pumpkin. Other cash crops available in the area are oil palm, cocoa, cashew and rubber.

MINERALS
There are quite a number of natural resources that are abound in Yakurr namely kaolin, sand glass and quartzite, dried coffee kolanut (Natural honey).

TOURIST ATTRACTION

1. It has a popular cave in Ekori, which can carry the whole village. The cave located between Nkpani and Ekori is like a hide out during was period.
2. Kosanmah River: It is blue in colour though not drinkable. Nobody fishes there and only a particular family sacrifices there once in a while.

CULTURE AND TRADITION

MODE OF DRESSING:
The Yakurr people have the same traditional attire with the Igbos, both their men and women tie wrapper as the most popular dressing.

FESTIVALS

1. “Leoboku” – The most popular festival in Yakurr.
2. “Obon” – It is a traditional dance which men are initiated into at a particular age.
3. Wrestling
4. "Ebilarbin” – Traditional dance which identifies somebody as a man in a community.
5. “Ekelebi” – A dance strictly for women after that women might have attained certain age.
6. “Oban” - War dance

Sporting Activities
In the area of sports, Yakurr Local Government has not been lacking as our able football team, the Yakurr United Football Club and the Yakurr Volley Ball Team have been making exploits and doing us proud through excellent performances in competitions both within and outside the state.

Conflict Management
The present administration inherited intra- and inter-communal land disputes between Ugep and Idomi, Ekori and Mkpani as well as Ugep and Adim. The Council has collaborated with the Yakurr Peace Committee to settle these disputes and averted the possible ugly consequences.

Problems
The problems of councils are myriad. The council is perpetually being faced with enormous financial burdens/demands.

That aside, the present administration inherited an empty treasury with a backlog of unpaid contract bills which often gave room to multiple garnishee orders on a council's account and the confiscation of council property by the courts. To further compound these problems, embattled, faceless and disgruntled politicians within and outside the Local Government Area embarked on a pull down campaign through petition writing.

However, the council is gradually coping as well as trying to assuage the situation through intensive revenue mobilization. The council is also toeing the path of dialogue to placate our creditors and make peace with council's detractors. Meanwhile, the developmental blueprint is jealously followed and vigorously pursued.

MARKET DAYS

1. Ekori - After every four days
2. Ugep - After every two days
3. Nkpani - After every three days

The Godwin Ettah-led administration in Yakurr Local Government Area stated on 2nd June,1999. This was sequel upon the victory at the polls by the Chairman and Councilors and Councilors and subsequent swearing-in of the Chairman by His Excellency, Mr. Donald Duke, Governor of Cross River State. At the time of this writing, the administration is about one year and nine months and has within the past one year (2000) achieved quite a lot in spite of a obvious odds and problems. Some of these achievements are listed below. Yakurr Local Government Area is in the Central Senatorial District of Cross River State. The headquarter is Ugep.

There are 13 Wards in the Local Government Area viz:-

1. INYIMA
2. IDOMI
3. ABANAPAI
4. ASSIGA
5. AJERE
6. NTAN
7. IKPAKAPIT
8. MKPANI/AGOI
9. IJOM-UGEP
10. NKPOLO/UKPAWEN
11. IJIMAN
12. AFREKPE/EPENTI
13. BIKOBIKOI

Infrastuctural Development
The first assignment of the administration within the period under review was the development of infrastructural facilities in Yakurr Local Government Area. For instance, the Local Government Guest House that was hitherto abandoned was renovated and is now in functional use by members of the public.

Roads
Roads were equally graded and rehabilitated within Ugep Urban in the first phase of the development plan and continued in the second phase to incorporate other communities outside the Council Headquarters, precisely, Mkpani-Agoi Ibami, Ekori-Assiga, Mkpani-Agoi Ekpo and Mkpani-Lebang Roads.

The Council in the preceding year also awarded contrast jobs in all the ward in the Local Government Area. They include renovation of school buildings, construction of culverts, open drainages as well as garden lights.

The Traditional Rulers’ Office Complex that was abandoned also received the attention of the administration and job performance so far has reached an appreciable level.

To enhance security of Council property two giant iron-gates were constructed and installed at the Council Secretariat, Ugep.

Staff Welfare
The Ettah-led administration believes in staff motivation which is a veritable attribute for success. To this effect, staff welfare has been given a boost. Though the administration inherited an empty treasury on assumption, the set target was to immediately lay to rest the problem of unpaid staff salaries for the month of May,1999. From then on, the payment of staff salaries and other emoluments had been regular and prompt.

Internal Revenue Generation
The Council has as well overhauled the revenue generating machinery, thereby improving tremendously the internally generate revenue base of the council. The revenue rose from N26,04.46 in June, 1999 on assumption to N2,091,716.49 in June 2000. To further broaden the Council’s revenue base as well as ameliorate the sufferings of commuters in the Local Government Area, the administration went into the procurement of a fleet of ten buses for the Yakurr Council Mass Transit Programme.

Our administration also took over the control and management of Ekpeti Central market. The Construction of open stalls in this market has reached an advanced stage.

Purchases
Purchase made by the Council within the year 2000 to enhance the effective operations of the principal officers include two brand new Peugeot 504 saloon cars and two new Peugeot 505 saloon cars. Old cars already in the fleet of council vehicles were also refurbished to taste. A first grade ‘tokumbo’ grader for roads maintain ace was also bought as well as two brand new photocopiers for office and commercial purposes. The administration also procured a giant 117 KVA Perkins generator to beat NEPA Power fluctuations and ensure steady electricity supply in the Councils offices.

Debt-Servicing
This administration inherited a huge debt burden totaling over N30m mostly from unpaid contract jobs. As part the need to reduce the indebtedness and lessen the incidence of garnishee orders on council accounts as well as confiscation of council property, the council constituted a contract verification and payment committee to handle all genuine contract claims from 1991. As at the year 2000, the sum of N4m has been disbursed by the committee to different contractors owned by the council.

Education
The council also initiated a number of actions to enhance the educational advancement of the Local Government Area last year. Some of these actions include the following:

Financial aid given to Yakurr indigenous students in the Nigerian Law School.

Council decided to extend this gesture to the entire students of Yakurr origin in tertiary institutions. A bursary committee was setup and names of beneficiaries were compiled. Interestingly, on the 29th of August,2000, our over anxious students who were invited for the bursary payment vandalized the council secretariat, merely for delay of the payment.

Council also carried out renovation work of classroom blocks in primary and post primary schools within the Local Government Area as well as construction of VIP Toilets in Primary Schools.

Printing of exercise books for distribution to schools and pupils was also embarked upon.

Health Care Services
In the area of health services, the present administration has commissioned, staffed and taken over three health posts at Ekpeti, Ekom-Agoi and Ekori-Afrekpe respectively.

Last year the Council also procured mattresses, pillows and beddings for the Health Centers in the Local Government Area. In addition to this Council last year co-funded all the National Immunization Days exercises in the Local Government Area.

Employment
As part of the need to assist the Federal and State governments efforts in poverty alleviation and bring succor to our people, our administration, in the preceding year, considered it necessary to provide gainful employment to some of their sons and daughters who have been jobless in the council. Although council employed over 200 junior workers, across the thirteen wards of the local government area and the state.