The Abia State Government on Friday commenced the clearance of the access road leading to the runway for Abia Airport, Nsulu.
Speaking at the site located at Umuala Nsulu, Isialangwa North, the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Pastor Caleb Ajagba, reiterated that the government of Alex Otti is sincere in carrying out the project in collaboration with the federal government. He added that the sentiments of the landowners demonstrate that the people are receptive to the airport project, contrary to the falsehoods circulated at the inception of the project.
“Just like I was telling the women and the host communities that I met shortly after I arrived, this is a very sincere government, and everything Dr Alex Otti has promised, he has always fulfilled. You can see that, contrary to the wrong notion, Nsulu community is receptive to this very important project.
“So you can see the people, the clearing is already ongoing, and you can see now that the people appreciate the importance of this airport project. Anybody who has been given the impression that Nsulu people are not favourably disposed to this project can see for themselves that it is not true.”
While commending members of the host communities for their understanding, he urged the contractors to work with the locals and informed them that the government has started paying compensation to the landowners. He stated, “Already, compensation is being paid. Many host communities have already received their payment, and you can see palpable joy. Everybody is happy because transparency is what engineers trust, and that’s one thing you can’t take for granted in the administration of His Excellency.”
Earlier, the Manager of CRANEBURG Construction Company, Seba El-Nemer, thanked Governor Otti and the Nsulu community for the successful commencement of the processes of creating the access road that would lead to the runway and the fence. He assured that the project would be delivered accordingly and further informed that both skilled and unskilled manpower within the host communities are being engaged.
In his speech, the Special Assistant to the Governor on Land and Housing and Project Coordinator for the Abia Airport Project stated that the site “is about 853 kilometres from the main road to the runway point. So, we are looking at the next 5 to 7 days to finish clearing the access way. Today, another process of the airport has kicked off. We have done enumeration and other things. Today, we are creating the access road into the runway so that we can do the necessary soil tests and other investigations at the runway.”
In their various speeches, the leader of the landowners in the Government Land Owners Forum for Abia State Airport Nsulu and Chairman of the Memorandum of Agreement Committee of the project, Rt. Hon. Uzor Azubuike; a landowner, Barr Andrew Obinna Ijenri; some youths and women of Nsulu communities, including the Youth President of Nsulu, Prince Chisom Nwaogbe; Youth President of Umuala, Ifeanyi Nwachukwu; Mrs Bridget Ijenri; Mrs Gift Umeh; as well as the Chairman of Community Relations for Nsulu Airport Project, Rev. Israel Ukoma, commended Governor Alex Otti for heeding their plea to reduce the size of the land from the initial 1,800 hectares to 1,000 hectares. They appreciated the sincerity of Governor Otti’s administration in carrying the people along.
They expressed their excitement that, finally, the Nsulu Airport Project is becoming a reality as the road leading to the runway is being created.
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