Amawom community, one of the file villages that make up Owerri Nchi Ise, Owerri municipality, have condemned the indiscriminate use of their land without compensation from the Imo state government, just as he denied claims that his community has been duly compensated.
Speaking on Hot FM, 99.9 phone in programme, people’s assembly, the leader, Amawom community association, Hon Macdonald Ebere, recalled with pain, how Amawom people gave out their land to the government to enhance development without a fee.
According to him, most of the land where the state government erected structures in the state capital, Owerri, include government house, Owerri , police headquarters, Dan Anyiam stadium, federal government college, prisons, NITEL, NEPA, high court, standard shoe, central bank, Owerri capital development authority (OCDA) and others too numerous to mention.
He recalled that his community gave massure support to boost Owerri to ensure development by availing their lands for development projects. Ebere added that despite such enormous contribution and sacrifice the present state government insisted on taking away area k violated at World Bank housing estate and Ekwema crescent at GRA layout.
He stressed that contrary to government claim that they have been paid, there is no such payment made to the group or the community. Ebere, who was one time Owerri municipal mayor, said it is false that they have been adequately compensated, stating that rather the present government has been hostile to Amawom people.
The ex council chairman added that Amawom people are undergoing dehumanizing conditions, living in slums; He advised the state government to leave their land alone and focus attention on the outskirts of Owerri which are begging for attention. Ebere, noted that the intent of the land use Act has been misunderstood by the government, as it only entails that government holds lands in trust for its owners.
In his contribution, community leader in Amawom, Osheze Festus Njoku, advised the state government to leave their land alone and focus development in other areas that are begging for infrastructural development
