Hot SourceThe Isi-Uzo Local Government Council in Enugu says it has debunked the allegation that it is embarking on estate development on the land belonging to Ikem Ogor community, saying that the land was officially donated to the Local Government (LGA) way back in 1974, and no longer belonged to the community.
While appreciating the community’s magnanimity in donating the said land to the Council, it faulted a situation where some members of the community were now encroaching on the said property.
This was made clear in a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the Council Chairman on Administration, Dr. Ike Onah, on Wednesday, urging the public to disregard the misinformation as the land, which had been fallow for more than 50 years, was now being developed to boost the social and economic development of the Isi-Uzo LGA.
The statement read in part, “By virtue of alienation of the land to government around 1974, over 50 years ago, the land no longer belongs to the Ikem Ogor people, but to the government and entire people of Isi-Uzo Local government area.
“Members of the community are encroaching on the local government land and building on it.
Ikem people do not want the land developed because they want to grab it back. Community members have been trespassing on the land, pacillating and farming on it without authorization from the Local Government Council.”
On the argument that the Council could not use the property for estate development, the statement maintained, “Housing or state development is part of the urbanisation programme of Isi-Uzo Local Government Council, as contained at page 41 of the Chairman’s manifesto.”
“The Chairman clearly stated there that Housing is a challenge in rural areas and that his administration would engage in housing or estate development to help provide affordable housing and basic amenities for the rural populace through private sector and individual investments.
“The Council has the right to develop Estate, just as we have a GRA at Nsukka on Nsukka Local Government land, which was developed in the same way.
“This will help develop the rural area and stem the tide of urban migration. It is part of the Chairman’s programme towards moving Isi-Uzo from rural to urban status, moreso when the Governor of Enugu State has declared Ikem and Eha-Amufu as urban areas.”
The Council added that the real bone of contention was that the Council Chairman recently met with Ikem-Uno and Ikem-Nkwo autonoumous communities of Isi-Uzo over a land dispute case and cautioned the traditional ruler and people of Ikem Uno community against their unlawful act of invasion and intimidation of Ikem-Nkwo community in an alleged boundary demarcation and land grabbing move.
“So, this did not go down well with the community as they earlier reached out to the Chairman and thought he was going to take sides with them.
“They also claimed the land was ceded to government that they would be receiving royalty in regard. However, the Chairman asked them to produce both their survey documents and the said agreement. They have not produced any till date.
“The other truth is that several Ikem people had reached out to the Council Chairman indicating interest in the Housing Development and inquiring whether the estate is only for Ikem people, but were told that it is meant for the entire Isi-Uzo people as the land no longer belongs to one community, but the entire people of Isi-Uzo LGA.
“Again, contrary to their wrong assumption that the land would be allocated freely to people, the Council Chairman told them to apply and pay the necessary fees like others. This did not sit well with many of them,” the statement revealed.
The Council, therefore, urged the people of Ikem Ogor to “desist from meddling in the Council’s development plans with the land, as the land does not belong to them and they have not right to dictate, direct or determine for the Council what development projects that the Council should carry out on its land.”
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