Condemnation trails encroachment on govt property by land grabbers in Onitsha

By Julie Sylvia, Onitsha

Wide spread condemnation has trailed alleged encroachment on government land in Onitsha South Local government area, Anambra state by land grabbers resulting in Onitsha South chairman, Hon. Emeka Orji, forcefully reclaiming the purported land.

Condemning the dubious character of the land grabbers, Orji vowed not to allow any government property to be taken over by grabbers and advised those who claim ownership to sue the local government if they feel their property has been taken from them

Expressing dissatisfaction over the encroachment on the said government land, Sir Joachin Ifenatuora , (Nwafeenna), disclosed that, he was born in 1964 at No 14 Udi Street Fegge Onitsha.

“I was a child at the time of the existence of the health center there in the disputed land which served as a clinic where we used to get medical attention then, in the 70s and, 80s, and I know it was a government property then.

He described as unfortunate the individuals’ claim of ownership of the land he said that belongs to the then Onitsha Local Government Area before the newly created Onitsha South Local Government took possession.

In his own reaction, Mr Vincent A.O. Ofordi, a nonagenarian (94 years), stated that, “I was born in the year 1932. The disputed land was a place where a health center was erected then, there was nothing like Onitsha South Local government but there was woliwo up and down.

“Why the land then was called woliwo down was because it was only Igbo inhabited the area before Ndi Onicha (indigenes of Onitsha) decided to divide it from Iweka road.

“My brothers, let it not surprise you, it is what is obtainable in Nigeria, look at government field, it has been turned to a residential building, this was happening between the time of the military.

“The said health center is the only health center around the area, there was no Onitsha South, I came to Onitsha by foot in 1940s. We are in Nigeria, we are in Anambra State, if you know you know, this is a community property

“I was among those who went to seek for what would be done for woliwo, but after, it failed, it is individuals with raw cash that bought the land for themselves,” he further revealed.

Sir Elias Ezekeke, a 76 years old man, revealed that, “I came to Onitsha as early as 70s, the said land was called poly clinic as at then, there was a small building there, the health workers around Fegge and woliwo used to stay there. At a time the place was flooded for many years, and was being managed by the use of planks, but later it was no longer manageable

“Around 1984,and 85, there was a Village Health Committee that oversees all the health centers in different places. I was the first Secretary of that committee, my chairman was somebody from Agukwu Nri, who was addressed as A.T Nnoli, now late, so after seeing the kind of work going on there with the condition of the place, we felt for them.

“My chairman and I went to the health workers and told them that we would go to St Jude Catholic Church to plead to them to grant us asylum.

“We went to the then Parish Priest, Rev Monsignor Ugwueze, we discussed and he granted us health center in the parish hall, up till today, the health center is still at St Jude Parish Fegge.

“I feel surprise that they said the land was sold and that an individual bought it, I don’t understand it, there was a time woliwo people wrote that the land is woliwo property and it belongs to the government.

“When an Indigene of Onitsha was the chairman of the whole Onitsha Local Government then, there was no Onitsha South then, they used to come there and stay, when I heard it was for sale, I don’t actually understand what really happened. So the place is the property of Anambra State Government through Onitsha South Local Government,” he maintained.

Mr Ofordi and Mr Ezekeke