Abia State government has assured land owners at the proposed State airport project site that payment of compensation would precede the commencement of the project.
Chief of Staff to the Governor, Pastor Caleb Ajagba, said when traditional leaders of the Umunna Nsulu autonomous community visited him to show support for the project, that the clarification became necessary to disabuse the minds of those who are led to believe that the government would acquire their land forcefully.
Pastor Ajagba clarified that Governor Alex Otti who condemned such acts before he became Governor would not allow that in his administration noting that so far the Governor has demonstrated commitment to doing the right thing by paying compensation to those whose property was demolished or land acquired in the course of his development programmes.
He commended the traditional rulers for seeing through the veneer of deception of those trying to instigate violence over the land to undermine the project and outlined the numerous benefits to be derived from the project including employment, infrastructural upgrade and general development.
The Chief of Staff said the 1350 hectares of land covering several communities in Nsulu, Mbawsi and others, was acquired for the federal government airport project and wondered why the communities that have engaged the government on the matter since June suddenly turned to oppose it.
According to him, “full compensation will be paid to the people, the land owners. In the next few days government will reach out to the communities with a view to identifying the real owners of the land. Work will not begin until all the issues are cleared, ” Ajagba assured.
In an interview, the Chief of Staff provided letters written by the communities to the government in support of the project, saying that those opposed to it were doing so out of personal interest.
Earlier, the traditional rulers led by the Eze elect of the Umunna Nsulu autonomous community, High Chief Goddy Nnanna Nwaoha, said he came with the seven others to support the government on the project. He said that after 24 years it was only the Alex Otti government that remembered the Nsulu community, affirming that the government owned every land and should support the airport project.
He said they were aware of Governor Otti’s development strides in road infrastructure, health care delivery, and education, among others, saying the project was capable of attracting more development to the area.
