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The controversy surrounding the Abia Airport Project has taken another twist as some land owners have accused the Commissioner for Lands and Housing, Chaka Chukwumerije of sharp practices.
The latest allegation was made public by a legal practitioner and an indigene of Nsulu, in Isiala Ngwa North Local Government Area of Abia state, Bar. Chinedu Adikwu in a statement obtained by newsmen.
Bar. Adikwu said the Commissioner and staff of the Ministry of Lands and Housing have been engaging in what he described as rip – off of land owners. He alleged that Chukwumerije employed the services of unsolicited and strange Estate Valuers and willfully creating, selecting and imposing certain named persons and corporate entities.
According to Adikwu, some persons and entities such as Nnanji O.AA. Nnaji, Osama Associates, Welly and Associates, Rawlings Ehumadu, Ken Ahuruonye, Ogechi Associates etc were used to coerce the Abia Airport land owners into donating their powers, rights and privileges in relation to compensation due them arising from the state’s acquisition of their lands for purposes of the airport project and a payment of 10% on each plot of land.
He explained that those firms played the roles of middle men to receive funds (compensation) from the State government on the land owners behalf whereas there was no need for that.
“It is interesting to note that: Abia state government, over the past few months informed the land owners and the general public that ALL ACTUAL LAND OWNERS will be paid compensation directly without involving any third parties, only for the land owners to see strange fellows, mostly non-indigenes of Abia with unverified offices in Abuja, neglecting resident Abia Estate Valuers who presented already prepared Powers of Attorney stating that all such land owners MUST append their signatures, engaging multiple unknown companies and individuals as representatives for purposes of compensation.”
He therefore called on Governor Alex Otti to act swiftly to prevent Ndi Nsulu from being shortchanged by land merchants and wondered if such powers vested on the “money grabbers” was part of the Memorandum of Understanding and/or private arrangements with some government officials to use proxies to take their money through the back door on the behest of the Commissioner for Lands
Bar. Adikwu reassured the government that the people of Nsulu remain appreciative of Dr. Alex Otti for citing the Airport Project in Nsulu land and for the unprecedented developmental projects witnessed in Abia since he assumed office in May 2023 and urged him not to allow people with fraudulent intentions to rubbish his giant strides in infrastructural development and other economic enhancement programmes of his administration.
While calling for probe, Barr. Adikwu asked for a disbandment of the gang and a refund of money collected from Landowners already paid as it is said to be deducted from source, while stating his full support to the New Abia mantra because it changed the narrative of Ndi Abia positively.
Meanwhile, when Southeastposts contacted the Public Relations Officer Abia Ministry of Lands and Housing, Mrs Josephine Ogwo for comments, she dismissed the allegation, saying that there is nothing like shortchanging.
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