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Anthony Ufoh
The Abia State Government has stated that compensation has been paid to land owners for the Abia Airport project located along the runway planned for the Nsulu area within the Isiala Ngwa North Local Government Area of the state.
The Chief of Staff to the Governor, Caleb Ajagba, disclosed this on Friday at the Abia Airport project site in Nsulu, Isialangwa North LGA, during a fact-finding visit to the Nsulu people, accompanied by the Commissioner for Lands and Housing, Mr. Chaka Chukwumerije, and other top government officials.
Although the Abia government stated that those still to be paid would be handled on a case-by-case basis, it did not specify when this would be done.
The explanation followed a protest by a group of villagers, who this week complained about not receiving compensation from the government.
Ajagba said, “We discovered that it is not that they have not been paid, but some of them have challenges with either their accounts or maybe they have not completed the mandatory indemnity certificate that will enable them to get paid.
He said that some areas of land that were not enumerated but were cleared in error by a contractor have been resolved, to the satisfaction of the host community.
Ajagba said that about 3,500 people have been paid compensation and assured those who have not received their own that it will get to them if they complete their indemnity certificates, adding that the Nsulu people are not opposed to the Airport project.
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Lands and Housing, Mr. Chaka Chukwumerije, said that land owners have been paid, pointing out that anyone not yet paid will still be attended to case-by-case.
Responding, a community leader, Mr. Echezola Ukaumunna, appreciated the visit of the government officials, saying that it corrected a lot of misconceptions and misinterpretations, even as he blamed the traditional ruler of the community for not communicating with the people properly.
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