The Abia State Government, in the bid to ensure that its Industrial Innovation Park project located in the Ukwa West Local Government Area of the State continues to run smoothly, on Saturday, November 4, 2023, consulted with the host communities of Umuololo, in Owaza, Okohia and Uzuaku.
The Commissioner for Petroleum, Prof. Joel Ogbonna, while briefing the different communities, conveyed the appreciation of the State Governor, Dr. Alex Chioma Otti, OFR, for their cooperation since the negotiations for the commencement of the project started, and appealed to them to continue giving government their support.
He said the government was determined to involve the host communities in every stage of the project, adding that it informed the need for the series of engagements with them.
The Petroleum Commissioner said the project had reached the stage of enumeration, which would be followed by valuation and compensation, stressing that it was important for the communities to work as partners in progress among themselves, and with the State Government.
The Commissioner said the government was not taking the cooperation of the Communities for granted, adding, “We promise that whatever needs to be done will be done. We have come here to solicit your continued cooperation”.
Continuing, he assured them that each of the Communities will have eight representatives to assist the Nigeria Police and the Enumerators that would be involved in the project.
In his remarks, the Commissioner for Environment, Mr, Philemon Asonye Ogbonna, thanked the Communities for the successes achieved so far, and informed them to brace up for the next stages of the project, which according to him were enumeration and compensation.
He stated that the developmental impact of the AIIP in Abia State as a whole would be monumental, and urged them to continue with their attitude of being good hosts to investors which they have been known for since oil exploration and exploitation began with the Shell Petroleum Development Company Limited.
He said the enumerators had been given 14 days to complete their work, and appealed to them to give maximum cooperation to ensure that the schedule was met, adding that safety gadgets would be provided to facilitate the work.
The Commissioner disclosed that the State Governor had given a directive for palliative works to be carried out on the roads leading to the AIIP.
Also speaking, the Special Assistant to the Governor on Lands and Housing, Pastor Okorougo Aji, who disclosed that the project covered a total of 1,933 hectares of land, assured the Communities that whatever challenges they encounter in the course of the enumeration exercise would be brought to their attention, ranging from those that would claim that they bought lands from the Communities, those that would claim to own shrines to those that would also claim to have graves on the lands.
Earlier in their comments, the Community Leaders thanked the Abia State Governor for siting the project in their area, and pledged their unalloyed support to the government.
They called for continued transparency from the government in order not to erode the confidence they have already built for the administration of Dr. Alex Otti, stressing that no previous government in Abia State had given them this level of recognition before.
The Communities further requested that they should be given the opportunity to authenticate any individual who shows up to claim that his or her personal land is in the area earmarked for the project before compensations are paid to them to avoid confusion during the exercise.
The Community Leaders who represented Umuololo during the meeting included Dr. Chief Uche Nwele, Chief Emeka Ezekiel, Sylvanus Nworgu, Valuer Felix Chinedu Nworgu and Chief Uche Okeke, while Nnah Sunny Okike, Hon. Okey Ukanna, Ozioma Eletuo, Rev. Ugochukwu Nwankpa and Ubah Samuel Ogugua, represented the Okohia Community.
The meeting with the Uzuaku Community had in attendance, the Traditional Prime Minister of Uzuaku, Chief Paulson Elijah, Chairman, Community Development Committee, Peter Anyasor, Ndukauba Adiele, Godswill Anyasor and David Nwakaji.
Also present during the meetings with the different host Communities were; Claims Surveyors, Lead Valuer and other valuers representing Abia State Government Valuation Consultants.
