Tension in Anambra as Oba youths protest non payment of compensation on old Oba Airport land

www.odogwublog.com reports that there was tension in Oba community in Idemili South local government area of Anambra state yesterday when youths took to the streets and roads in the area to protest the alleged encroachment of the defunct Oba Airport land.
The protesters numbering about 100 with various placards inscription such as Offia, Enough is Enough, No more Airport land, we want our right, our land is not for Estate  is for industries" among others.
The youths who disrupted and stopped on going work at the site of the land alleged that the agreement reached agreement with the developer of the land has not been paid to the community, stressing that the land was initially mapped out shoe industry has been turned into estate beyond the 30 hectares of land government allocated to them.
The Chairman Youth Welfare Association of Okpuno Umuogali village Oba Engr. Udoka Uzochukwu and  Chairman Umuagu Village Welfare Association Oba Mr. Onyeka Enedah emphasized that the land was approved for shoe dealers market but the chairman of the Emordi shoe dealers Association Mr. Umeh. N.O has derailed from the agreement and turned the place to be estate and also encroached on the other community land.
According the youths leaders, "youths are agitating for proper explanation of what is going at the old Airport land at Oba because what we were told by government that the land will be used for industry is not what we are seeing today. What we are seeing going on there is an individual houses being erected in the land instead of industry. What we are saying is that government should come and tell us what is going with our land".
"This land was given to government for Airport which as later cancelled and at that time no compensation was paid to the land owners. The developer of the estate which Chief Umeh has been fulfill all the agreements reached, no compensation either to the community or the youths and that is why we are protesting. Our demand is that work should stop from the land until the developer of the estate settle with the land owners. Our elders are not happy again, some of them have died after their land was taken away from them without any compensation" they stated.
In his reaction to the allegation, the Vice Chairman of Emordi Shoe dealers Association Chief Matthew Okeagu who represented  the Chairman Umeh denied all the allegations, saying that the land was allocated to the traders as a layout with Certifiacte of Occupation obtained from the government as well as a survey plan approved by the government.
He said that the they have paid N180 million compensation to the villagers/ land owners and also paid N30 million so far to the youths of the community, stressing that they followed due process to acquire the land from the government who acquired it from the community and went ahead to pay compensation for peace to reign but no avail.
Okeagu however appealed to the government to intervene on the matter and begged the youths to allow them to develop their lands without any form of harassment and intimidation, adding that their workers were injured and pursued out of site by the youths for no just cause.
"The traditional ruler of the community is aware that the land belonged to the government who allocated the land to us for layout not for industry as alleged by the youths. The commissioner for Lands, Physical Planning and Rural Development Sir Okey Moka approved the allocation of the land to the shoe dealers as residential building" Okeagu stated.



Tension in Anambra as Oba youths protest non payment of compensation on old Oba Airport land Tension in Anambra as Oba youths protest non payment of compensation on old Oba Airport land Reviewed by Unknown on Tuesday, July 18, 2017 Rating: 5

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