Enyimba Economic City: Ikpeazu promises compensation for land owners

August 201, 2018

By Ijendu Iheaka

The Abia state Governor Dr Okezie Ikpeazu has vowed to ensure payment of compensation to landowners in the three local government areas expected to host the Enyimba Economic City, Aba.

Governor Ikpeazu made the vow during a meeting in Aba with the stakeholders of Ukwa East, Ukwa West and Ugwunagbo LGAs where the Enyimba Economic City is to be sited.

He said that he remained consistent in his vision, commitment and effort towards realizing the Enyimba Economic City in the state.

According to him, the compensation would help to boost the commitment of the landowners who would also be co-drivers of the project through the monitoring of every stage of its development.

Ikpeazu urged the stakeholders to set up committees in their communities that would sensitize their people on the need to support the project which he said would provide about 500,000 jobs to Abia citizens.

He called on the youth of the areas to prepare and equip themselves educationally in order to take up lucrative opportunities that may become available when the city is realized.

He commended the stakeholders and traditional rulers who appeared at several meetings held to stress the benefits of giving their agricultural lands for industrial purposes which would in turn provides sustainable opportunities to future generations.

He announced that the major bottleneck of power supply to the city has been tackled and expressed joy over the readiness of the people to partner in the project.

The Commissioner for lands and Survey, Chief Uche Ihediwa said the ministry’s interaction with the 33 communities involved has reached an advanced stage.

He said that the ministry was half-way through its second visitation tour of the communities “preparatory to enumeration, valuation, compensation and commencement of construction”.

He said their visits had unveiled some challenges which the state government and stakeholders must address to ensure the progress of the project.

He named them to include negative impact of some failed state projects like Obuaku City, Ogwe Golden Chicken, International Market, Umudobia, refusal of some communities to embrace the project, youth restiveness among others.

He also noted that lack of security for the ministry’s staff and lack of operations vehicles for his staff were among the challenges needing to be addressed for the project to succeed.

Ihediwa who said his ministry was still encountering difficulties with acceptance of the project by some communities therefore called on all the stakeholders to sell the project to their communities to ease their work.

Chief Darl Uzu, a Private Sector Developer for the project said the benefits of the Enyimba Economic City were numerous hence he expressed delight that negotiations with the land owners were  gradually yielding fruits.

The member representing Ukwa East State constituency, Chief Paul Taribo, his Ukwa West counterpart, Chief Mezie Nwaubani, a former Commissioner for sports, Chief Chinwe Nwanganga and a former Commissioner for Women Affairs, Lady Chinedu Browne spoke in separate speeches.

They thanked the governor for attracting the project to the state which they said would benefit their people economically.

 Eze Young Ogbonna, Eze Onyemachi Ogbulu, Eze Goddy Ukanna and Mr Ndubuisi Enyioko appealed for compensation for the land, immediate development of the project and accommodation of major land donors in the project.

They also assured the governor of their unwavering support in the bid to realize the project.