Airport: Umahi to pay compensation for houses, economic trees.
Ebonyi state government has reiterated its commitment to pay compensation for buildings and economic trees on the land acquired for sitting of the cargo international airport in the state.
Addressing newsmen in Abakaliki, Commissioner for information and state orientation, Barr. Uchenna Orji denied any refusal by the governor to pay compensation to those whose houses was marked for demolition.
He said nothing will stop the state government from constructing the airport in the said approved site, adding that all land belongs to government and called on the protesters to vacate the marked areas.
"Some villagers in Umuoghara community in Ezza north LGA, protested yesterday and impressions were given out. We were actually worried because newsmen were there.
"we needed to put the record straight. As a matter of fact, the state government under the leadership of the governor chief David Umahi has a plan to develop the state and needed to build an international airport for the state.
"The stakeholders of Umuoghara community were consulted about the area to site the international airport. Consideration were given on the area of centrality and it fall on Ezza north and part of Ezza south LGAs.
"The governor did not only consult stakeholders but also held a meeting with the owners of the lands and decisions was reached on where to site the airport, that will be central to the people of the state in general.
"The governor has severally met with the stakeholders and owners of the lands and issue of compensation was also resolved. It was agreed that enumeration be made so that where the issues of building and economic trees affected can be compensated.
"Before this administration, the people of Ezza north were so neglected and the governor said such thing will not happen at his own time. I therefore call on the general public to treat the protest with the wave of hand. It is just an orchestration of people who think that they could blackmail the responsible government led by Chief David Umahi" he stated.
The Commissioner berated the sponsors and protesters who staged a protest against the sitting of a cargo international airport approved by President Mohammadu Buhari for the state.
He described such protest as a distraction to his administration and called on the general public to disregard such protest adding that it is a handiwork of the oppositions.
Recall that Aguogboriga, Umuoghara community in Ezza North local government area of Ebonyi state had on Monday protested and rejected the sitting of the airport in their community.