THE UMUZOCHA community in Awka, which owns the largest part of the Anambra State capital territory, is battling the state government over alleged non-payment of compensation for the land acquired in the area since the creation of new Anambra State in 1991.
The people are also complaining that the N78 million paid as part of compensation by the previous administration for some of their acquired land by the state Ministry of Land was seized by an estate surveyor appointed by the community to serve as its agent.
Rising from a meeting attended by all age grades in the community, the people forwarded a letter to Governor Willie Obiano, asking him to intervene in the matter because they have sacrificed so much as the host of the state capital.
In the letter signed by the chairman, Mr. Chris Ndibe and secretary, Mr. Emeka Chukwu, the people observed that of the 33 villages that make up Awka, Umuzocha contributed the largest portion of land to government for development purposes without being appreciated.
The letter read: “As a village, we donated land for the building of the Central Bank of Nigeria, the University Teaching Hospital, the Anambra Broadcasting Service, the Awka branch of the Nigeria Communications Commission, the House of Assembly, the headquarters of the state Universal Basic Education Board, among others.
“The church also has a large chunk of our land as the Catholic Cathedral and St. John of God Secondary School are on our land. Today, our children have no more land to live on and the compensation paid to the community cannot be accessed.
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