The move by the Abia State government to resolve all lingering issues on the proposed land for the Abia Airport, Nsulu, suffered another setback on Wednesday as the village and compound heads turned down a meeting organized by the Special Assistant to Governor Otti on Lands and Housing, Pastor Okorougo Aji, to hold on Thursday, February 6, 2025.
The village and compound heads of the land owners made their position known through a letter dated 5th February, 2025 and signed by Engineer Ikechukwu Uche (Chairman) and Gabriel Echezolam (Secretary) and addressed to the governor’s aide.
The land owners said the government should go ahead and continue the negotiations with the technical committee that was set up previously during a meeting between them and government representatives, attended by the State Director of Department of State Security and the Commissioner of Police, Abia State, held on 3rd January, 2025.
The letter reads in part, “To ensure a productive and meaningful resolution, we urge the government to continue its engagement with the designated technical committee, which comprises our appointed representatives. The committee has the mandate to deliberate on critical issues and work towards mutually acceptable solutions. Once substantial progress has been achieved, an expanded meeting, including village and compound heads, as well as youth and women representatives, will be convened to review and formalise any agreements reached.”
“In line with our previous agreement, the village heads and their representatives will not be attending the scheduled meeting on 6th February 2025. We strongly encourage the government to continue discussions with our technical committee, who will subsequently report back to us on the outcomes of their engagement.”
While they expressed their commitment to a constructive dialogue and a meaningful negotiation, they pledged willingness to explore every avenue for a lasting solution to the lingering issues. “Our people remain committed to constructive engagement and meaningful dialogue with the government to address all outstanding issues and reaffirm our willingness to explore avenues that lead to a fair and just resolution for all parties involved.”
Speaking to newsmen, the Chairman of the Village Heads and Land Owners, Engr. Ikechukwu Uche said,” We are being blackmailed by the Abia State Government Team, as they keep sending the wrong signal to the Governor, and Abians, insinuating we are opposed to the project but that is not the true position.
“We are concerned with knowing the actual size of the project, seeing the map, so we can engage our own private surveyor to determine if what they told us will be the same on the ground. We are also asking for the unbundling of the project.
The Airport project we know and have accepted but that of Airport Housing Estate, five star hotel, hospital, schools are shrouded in secrecy by the state government and we have been asking, who are the owners of these other projects – Federal Government, Abia state government or private investors. We cannot give land for the Airport and still accommodate those other projects without knowing the owners”, he said.
On his part, the Secretary of the Forum, Gabriel Umunna Echezolam said, inviting them to a meeting when they are going behind to plan enumeration without any Memorandum of Understanding with the technical team is suspicious.
He said, they don’t want a situation where they may be coaxed into signing any document they may not fully understand the contents and pointed the case of Abia pensioners, that have been having running battles with the state over documents they signed and later claimed they don’t know the contents. ” We have carefully selected our technical team, let them deal with the team, we can only engage the state government after they tie all loose ends and start enumeration, he concluded”.
