Abia State Government has assured structure owners and affected communities along Abia Tower Express roundabout—Okpara Square Road (Ossah road) Umuahia that demolished structures will be compensated for.
The state Commissioner for Lands and Housing, Mr. Chaka Chukwumerije handed down this assurance weekend when he embarked on public enlightenment and sensitisation outreach to communities that will be affected in the planned expansion of the road to six lanes by the Governor Alex Otti’s administration.
Speaking during the public enlightenment outreaches to the affected autonomous communities, including Eziama na Mgbaja, Okpu Isingwu, Uzzi na Akpizu and Isingwu, all in Umuahia North L.G.A, the Commissioner disclosed that the Ministry has already done the enumeration and valuation of the buildings, while external valuers were also engaged.
According to him, compensations would be made within the ambit of the law, pointing out that the present administration in the state has a human face, hence the ample consideration given to sensitising the communities before embarking on the demolition and expansion exercise.
“We embarked on this public enlightenment because the government of Dr. Alex Chioma Otti believes in due process and is in a hurry to develop the state. We will give a human face to all decisions taken as we are all Abians”, the Commissioner assured.
Speaking also, a representative of the Attorney General of the State, Barr. Mrs. Oge Maduka assured the communities that everything would be done within the ambit of the law, maintaining further that the expansion was for the best interest of the communities involved and Abians in general.
According to her, the presence of the Attorney General in the sensitisation visit was to also assure that the job would not only be done as stipulated but would also be done well and peacefully too, adding that the purpose of the sensitization visit was for them to have the assurance of the government and a fair agreement reached.
Speaking, the Special Assistant to the governor on Lands and Housing, Pastor Okorougo Aji, and Senior Special Assistant on Homeland Security, Mr. Chukwunenye Alajemba assured that Gov. Otti will not let the Ossah people and other communities affected down and pleaded with them for the development to come their way, which they maintained that the expansion is for their good.
Also speaking, the Chairman, Nigerian Institute of Town Planners, Mr. Steve Nwazue, a Director in the Ministry of Lands and Housing, Mr. Augustine Ucheibe and a representative of Umuahia Capital Development Authority, Arc. Amos Chinedu explained that a notice of demolition had already been served to the owners of the affected buildings and that it will affect about 160 structures, adding that internal and external valuations were done, while a step by step action with guiding rules would be applied in the demolition exercise.
Responding, the traditional ruler of Eziama na Mgbaja Ossah Autonomous Community, Eze Chiabuotu Emeike, his counterparts, from lsingwu Autonomous Community, Eze Daniel Ukaegbu, Okpu Isingwu Autonomous Community, Eze Kingsley Emekobum and Eze Joshua Akomas Uzzi na Akpizu Autonomous Community, a traditional Prime Minister, Mr. Christopher Onwuegbu and the President General of Ezama na Mgbaja Ossah Autonomous Community, Mr. Obiakaraije Dandy Ndukwe appreciated the road expansion initiative of the governor but passionately appealed that compensations should also be made to those who inherited their ancestral lands and those who genuinely owned properties but without Certificate of Occupancy.
They assured that they would not work against the government since they earnestly prayed for Dr. Otti’s emergence as governor, commending the Commissioner and his entourage for meaningfully engaging the community leaders on the development.
Recall that the State Government had recently announced that it would soon embark on the expansion of the duallzed Ossah Road Umuahia from the Enugu /Port Harcourt Express Tower Junction to Michael Okpara Square, right inside the Umuahia City, which before now was a narrow 2-way lane.
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