Abia State Government says it has paid compensation to the land owners of the Abia Airport project whose land is located along the runway of the airport project.
The State government added that if there are those that are yet to be paid, it may be exceptional cases, which must be attended to on a case-by-case basis.
The explanation followed a protest by some group of villagers, who this week, complained about not receiving compensation from the government.
The Chief of Staff to the Governor, Caleb Ajagba disclosed this on Friday at Abia Airport project site, Nsulu, Isialangwa North LGA when he paid a fact-finding visit to Nsulu people, in company of the Commissioner for Lands and Housing, Mr. Chaka Chukwumerije and other top government officials.
“We discovered that it is not that they have not been paid, but some of them have challenges with either their accounts or maybe they have not completed the mandatory indemnity certificate that will enable them to get paid”, Ajagba said.
He said that some areas of lands that were not enumerated but were cleared in error by a contractor, have been resolved, to the satisfaction of the host community.
Ajagba said that about 3,500 people have been paid compensation and assured those who have not received their own that it gets to them if they complete their indemnity certificates, adding that Nsulu people are not opposed to the Airport project.
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Lands and Housing, Mr. Chaka Chukwumerije said that land owners have been paid, pointing out that anyone not yet paid will still be attended to case-by-case.
Responding, a community leader, Mr. Echezola Ukaumunna appreciated the visit of the government officials, saying that it corrected a lot of misconceptions and misinterpretations, even as he blamed the traditional ruler of the community for not communicating to the people properly.
