For the umpteenth time, victims of government massive destruction on Nworie streets Owerri, Imo State whose houses and property were demolished seven months ago for road construction are still crying for help and assistance.
Despite the invitation extended to them by the state government which did not result to positive impact, Nworie landlords are still hanging in limbo.
According to the Nworie landlords, nothing has happened since they came out of a meeting held at the Conference Hall of lands ministry on 22nd January 2013 presided over by an aide to commissioner, Uche Nwose.
The landlords decried government’s inability to clearly state the area and site they will be relocated. Adding that nothing has been said about monetary compensation for re-building destroyed houses.
Some of the landlords interviewed by our reporter claimed they are Imo indigenes suffering serious setbacks of their lifetime in their own state. One of the victims Chief Emenike Ekeh, lamented how he lost both the daughter, an undergraduate of Microbiology in IMSU, a gigantic 2 storey building with 10 – room boys’ quarter to the demolition. He said that the shock has brought an unexplainable hardship and heart diseases to the poor landlords most of whom cannot afford three square meals again and proper medical treatment.
Lamenting also on the issue, another landlord, Dr Anthony Onuoha stated; “giving a devastated landlord an inhabitable plot of land outside Owerri Municipal Council area and asking them to pay another big amount of money including settling the land owners especially the youths is as good as buying a coffin as gift to a sick person. I am afraid if the PA to the Commissioner is speaking the minds of his boss and that of our able governor”
Two sympathizers and former tenants in Nworie street simply known as Mr Nwabueze and Mrs Soroibe expressed disappointment at government indifferent approaches to their plight, stressing that there is nothing wrong in using state fund to backup any reasonable land given free of charge to these landlords.
The landlords regretted that Governor Okorocha could not keep his earlier promise of given plots of land in the same Owerri Municipal where the demolished buildings were located as well as firm promise of providing money for rebuilding.
“After the promise, the Governor collected photographs and building plans of the destroyed building, for easy identification of owners for payment of necessary compensation. Going by the last meeting which we were told to settle the youths of the area where we will be allocated, is Government or the Governor keeping faith with their promises?” the landlords added.
