Nation
Abia inaugurates joint technical committee on airport project
Following the controversies that trailed the siting of the proposed Abia Airport at Nsulu in Isialangwa North Local Government Area of the state, both the state government, stakeholders and host communities of the airport have agreed on grey areas and inaugurated an enlarged joint technical committee to realize the project.
Members of the enlarged Abia Airport planning committee include government functionaries, past and serving legislators from Isialangwa, retired public officers, religious leaders , all members of the technical committee of land owners forum for Nsulu Land Owners Forum, community and village heads of host communities, councilors representing wards in the host communities, traditional rulers in the host communities, and one compound representative for each of the compounds of land owners.
The committee, headed by the Chief of Staff to the state governor, Pastor Caleb Ajagba for the government and Rt. Hon. Uzor Azubike for the Nsulu Airport land owners is charged among other responsibilities, to re-design the plan of the proposed site, followed by enumeration of economic crops and structures, produce a draft Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) , which would be accepted and signed by both parties before payment of compensations.
This followed the crucial meeting held at the Banquette Hall of the Government House, Umuahia, Thursday, between Abia state government and community leaders, stakeholders, village and kindred heads of land owners as well as the technical team of the Nsulu Land Owners Forum of the proposed Abia Airport Nsulu.
In the communiqué issued and signed by Pastor Caleb Ajagba for the government and Rt. Hon. Uzor Azubike for the Nsulu Airport land owners and handed over to journalists, government and Nsulu people agreed to work together to resolve all agitating issues that may arise in future in the course of execution of the project, including but not limited to further reducing the land size.
The land owners team expressed concerns about the impact of the project on their community, including displacement and loss of livelihood and appealed to government to consider further reduction of the proposed size of the land for the airport project, knowing fully that they are traditionally, peasant farmers.
This is also as the Nsulu Land owners appealed to the state government to permit the land owners continue farming on the acquired land until government starts actual development on the land.
Both parties agreed that an MOU be drafted to guide all the parties for the duration of the project, as it concerns what the host communities would benefit from the project upon completion, while the government assured land owners transparency in its undertakings with them as well as promised to pay adequate and full compensation as well as involving the land owners in the project development process.
They also agreed that size of the land be reduced from the original 1,800 to 1,325 hectares.
In the communiqué, the Nsulu people commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for approving an airstrip for Abia state as well as lauded Governor Alex Otti for upgrading the airstrip to a full International Airport and for choosing Nsulu for the proposed Abia Airport project. They pledged their support and corporation for the actualization of the project
In their separate speeches during the meeting , the Member representing Isiala Ngwa North and South Federal Constituency, Hon. Ginger Onwusibe and member representing Isiala North State Constituency, Hon. Ugochukwu Iheonunekwu appreciated the government for engaging the real land owners and urged the government to pay attention to certain concerns raised by the people
Earlier, the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Pastor Calab Ajagba stated that the meeting was significant as it involved the owners of the land identified after reducing the size of the area earlier mapped out for the project.
He said that all their agitations are manageable and urged all concernrd to come down to harmonize all the agitating issues.
The Special Assistant to the Governor on Lands and Housing and Project Coordinator, Abia Airport, Pastor Okorougo. Aji explained the journey of the project so far and was pleased that government is now adopting the right processes in land acquisition.
Some land owners including, Mrs Kate Nnanna, Nneoha Roseline Orji and Mr. Martin Ajuonu expressed joy that government called to explain things to them , making them not to rely on rumours and urged the government to keep to its promise.
