Abia State Government has confirmed payment of compensation to landowners whose properties fall within the runway of the ongoing Abia Airport project.
The Chief of Staff to the Governor, Pastor Caleb Ajagba, who disclosed this at the airport site in Nsulu, in Isiala Ngwa North LGA, during a fact-finding visit to the project site in company of the Commissioner for Lands and Housing, Mr. Chaka Chukwumerije, and other senior government officials, explained that the visit was necessary following complaints from some members of the host communities who claimed not to have received their compensation.
Pastor Ajagba noted that investigations revealed that most of the affected landowners had either not completed the signing of their mandatory indemnity certificates or had issues with their bank accounts, which had delayed their payments.
The Chief of Staff to the Governor disclosed that about 3,500 people had already been compensated adequately for their lands on the runway, reiterating the state government’s commitment to ensuring that all verified claimants were settled.
On the clearing of areas not marked for enumeration by the contractors, Pastor Ajagba described the act as human error by one of the tractor operators, and assured that the mistake has since been corrected to the satisfaction of the host community.
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Lands and Housing, Mr. Chaka Chukwumerije, reaffirmed that compensation had been fully paid to every landowner within the runway area, describing any outstanding cases as exceptional.
Mr Chukwumerije clarified that the state government is presently focused on clearing payments for all claimants on the runway and announced that payments for other areas would be concluded by the end of this month once the final report is completed.
He further used the opportunity to urge those who had signed their indemnity certificates but were yet to receive payment to submit their details to the Ministry of Lands and Housing for prompt resolution.
Responding, a community leader, Mr. Echezola Ukaumunna, commended the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Pastor Caleb Ajagba and other government officials for the timely visit, which he said has corrected a lot of misconceptions and misinterpretations, adding that they are not opposed to the airport project in the area.
In their speeches, some of the landowners including Mr Onyemaobi Nwairo, Mr Isaac Frank, Chief Isaac Ndubuisi and Mr John Aliche, expressed satisfaction with the clarifications provided, and pledged their support towards the actualization of the airport project in record time.
The Commissioner for Arts, Culture and Creative Economy, Mr. Matthew Ekwuribe, Special Assistant to the Governor on Lands and Housing, who also doubles as the Project Coordinator for Abia Airport, Pastor Okorougo Aji, among other top government officials were present during the visit.
