Umuneri Isu-Aniocha protests over land grabbing, accuses ASHDC.
By Udodirim Oti,Awka
The Umuneri village Isu-Aniocha in Awka North Local Government Area of Anambra State has staged peaceful protest expressing grievances over alleged excess grabbing of lands destruction of farmlands, and houses by Anambra state Housing Development Corporation
The protest took place yesterday at Anambra state government House (Light house ) Awka
Protesters alleged that housing Development took excess land more than approved 54.27 hectares of lands given to them by the village.In the process crops were destroyed which they claimed threatened their food security and livelihoods.
Some of their placard reads “Umuneri village Isu-Aniocha ‘Our land our life, We will not abandon our land,Soludo, we cannot eat concrete save our land ,Soludo Umuneri choro Udo,ASHC respect the power of the country among others .
According to the Chairman of the village Geoffrey Udeh who was represented by their spokesman/ Peace committee Chairman of the village Engr.Francis Chukwuma Ude explained how the villagers have tried to resolve the issue with the state housing development corporation without result.
Ude in his words said ” This issue started more than 20 years ago, Some managing Directors have come and gone with out resolving this issue
“We decided to come the Governor who is the father of the state whom we believe that his leadership is very wonderful to us and that is why we voted for hm in the last election because we believe that this problem will be resolved under his dispensation.
” We have a court judgement asking housing to stick to consent judgement and they violated that judgement and went ahead demolishing our house today .
“As I speak to you now our people can no longer farm or move freely on this said land now there are military men and tugs in that same land .We are begging Mr Governor to help us to reclaim our land . We are not saying that we are not going to give government our lands inshort we have collectively agreed to give 54.27 hectares of lands which I believe in the history of Anambra state,I don’t know which village have given out such hectares of their lands to government but we have done that because we want peace.
However, our prayers are to compel Anambra state housing Development Corporation to comprehensively without delay pull out of the remaining umuneri land outside 54.27 hectares granted by the umuneri as shown in Annexure “C”
Causing. the soldiers and other security agencies installed in the area of the land not granted to Housing to vacate the land forthwith for the natives to assume possession.
Causing Housing to pay umuneri family 25 million per plot of land within the 54.27. hectares granted to ber which os the current price of plot there now and causing housing to properly,physically and documentaryly hand over compensatory plots due to umuneri village within the 54.27hectares of lands granted through their lawyer.
The protesters went to the Catholic Bishop of Awka diocese to present their case as well as asking for bishops intervention on the matter .
The Governor Charles Soludo who was represented by the Secretary to the Governor Solo Chukwulobelu in his reaction assured the protesters that they will look in to that,bring the matter to the attention of Mr Governor,speak with the current managing director of Anambra State Housing Development Corporation.
According to him “There are two ,some times three sides of any dispute .Mr Governor is a very wise man.Case is not decide base on one side statement ,we must hear from both sides. I believe that Mr Governor will come to a resolution that will restore peace and solve this 20 years long dispute.cover
