The proposed  expansion of  road from the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway leading into Umuahia, the Abia State capital to a 6-lane expressway would consume over 160 buildings, says Abia State Commissioner for Lands and Housing, Mr. Chaka Chukwumerije, who is leading the Public Enlightenment and Sensitisation team to interact with the communities and property owners that would be affected by the road project.


Dailyledger.com.ng reports that Governor Alex Otti had announced that the road traversing through Ossah-Mgbaja  and Isingwu  communitues from the Abia Tower junction off the Expressway into Umuahia, would be expanded to six lanes


Chukwumerije, speaking at a public enlightenment forum at Eziama na Mgbaja, Okpu Isingwu, Uzzzi na Akpizu, and Isingwu autonomous communities,  said that his ministry had already done the enumeration and valuation of buildings in conjunction with external valuers.


He assured them that the government would pay compensations within the ambit of the law, adding that the Otti’s administration was sensitive and responsive, hence the need to carry out sensitisation visits before commencing demolition of properties.


"We will give a human face to all the decisions taken,” he said, adding that Otti believes in following due process even though, “he is in a hurry to develop the state.”


Mrs. Oge Maduka, who represented the Attorney General of the State,  noted that the inclusion of the AG in the sensitisation team was a pointer that the government would not violate the rights of people and would ensure that the execution of the project in a peaceful environment.


In their respective remarks, the Chairman of Nigerian Institute of Town Planners(NITP), Mr. Steve Nwazue, and a Director in the Ministry of Lands and Housing, said the impending demolition exercise would be done step by step with guiding rules.


Nwazue, disclosed that demolition notice had already been served on owners of affected properties, adding that a second notice would be served in due course.


The traditional rulers of and community leaders of the affected communities, who spoke at the event, accepted government initiative to give Umuahia the befitting status of a state capital.


However, they all appealed to the government to also pay compensations to those whose inherited ancestral lands would go into the road project as well as those who genuinely own properties but have no certificate of occupancy.