Abia State Government has promised to adequately compensate landowners of the proposed Abia Airport project, as it is committed to developing every part of the state

Governor Alex Otti made the promise at Government House, Umuahia, during an enlarged meeting with Nsulu Airport Communities Landowners Forum.

He said that the meeting was necessary in order to get them involved in the quest to actualise the Abia Airport project.

Governor Otti commended their new spirit of commitment and sincerity of purpose in identifying with the plans and purposes of his administration in making sure that the airport project kickstarted in their community is completed on schedule.

The Governor represented by Caleb Ajagba, his chief of Staff, appreciated President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his magnanimity in making sure that the airport is brought to Abia, adding that lots of sacrifice is expected from the host communities and major stakeholders towards the timely realisation of the project.

The State Chief Executive used the opportunity to seek stronger collaboration with the host communities to ensure that work continues unabated on the space earmarked for the airport project, and reassured that preference will be given to Abians, especially Nsulu indigenes in the area of employment and other considerations.

“We appreciate the fact that a project of this magnitude will involve a whole lot of sacrifice for the host community. We have been able to touch base with them, also to seek their productive collaboration to make sure that within the space that has been projected for the completion of this airport work continues unabated.

“We have also on the same platform agreed that the cutting of the traces must be completed to ensure that we identify the genuine landowners. We have agreed that after that is done, enumeration will continue and adequate compensation would be paid.

“We also agreed that Abia State indigenes, especially Nsulu people, will all have the right to work and benefit from that project, so the first right of employment would be extended to Nsulu sons and daughters,” he said.

The governor, who affirmed the State’s commitment to driving the initiative, pledged that the Airport Project, would be completed on schedule, adding that the government would continue its engagement with the host communities until the project is finally completed.

Uzo Azubuike, a former commissioner in the state, who led representative of the Airport project host communities, expressed satisfaction with the outcome of the meeting, and advised those whom he described as intruders to stay clear from the project to enable government identify the real land owners for enumeration and payment of adequate compensation.

Azubuike, also a former member, representing Aba North/Aba South Federal Constituency, in the House Representatives, thanked the state government for considering reducing the size of the land mass already earmarked for the airport project for the continued survival of members of the communities, who are predominantly farmers and pledged their total support towards the realisation of the project.

“We are happy with the way this meeting has gone today. We have seen government redirect itself from people that we consider intruders and pretenders, who had no land in the affected area, trying to distract government from the real owners of the land, and people mistook that for the landowners resisting development,” he said.

He disclosed that part of the key agreements reached during the meeting was the need for the Government to unbundle some of the projects surrounding the airport and to clearly demarcate the affected area in collaboration with the landowners.

Azubuike emphasized that the land in question belongs to individuals, rather than the Nsulu Community, and assured the State Government that the landowners will provide maximum support, provided that the Government fulfills its obligations.

Okorougo Aji, special assistant to the Governor on Lands and Housing, had through a slide presentation revealed the scope of the Airport Project, which also indicated that no building structures shall be affected and that the size of the land has been reduced to little over 1,300 hectares