By Onyekachi Eze
All unused plots of lands at the Owerri Industrial Layout, situated along the Owerri/Onitsha express road stand a risk of recovery, following a motion moved at the Imo State House of Assembly, yesterday.
The State legislature in its yesterday’s plenary session resolved to recover all vacant, unutilized lands by both private persons and companies on the said layout, and as a matter of public importance engage private sectors to construct the road leading to the layout.
In his prayers of the motion, the chief mover, Hon Paschal Okolie and member representing Orlu State Constituency, said, in a State like Imo, leaving plots of lands fallow is an insensitive one, which needed to be addressed.
It reads, “Whereas the Owerri Industrial layout at Onitsha road was allocated to private persons/companies with the view of industrializing the State and creating jobs”.
“Noting that some of the lands allocated to some companies /individuals are still underdeveloped for over thirty five years while some have been resold illegally”.
It continued, “Noting also that the only entrance to the estate is not motorable and hampers economic activities in the area”.
However, the House presided by the Speaker, Rt Hon Collins Chiji resolved to set up an ad-hoc committee to ascertain, review and recover all illegally occupied or under developed plots at the Owerri Industrial estate.
This, according to the resolution was to find a means of reallocating the plots to capable and interested investors for the purposes of developing the State.
“Be it also resolved by this honorable house that his excellency, Rt Hon Emeka Ihedioha be urged to seek private sector involvement to construct the road leading to the Industrial Estate with Toll gates which will generate access to the estate and speed up industrialization”.
Seconding the motion, the Isu representative, Hon Ngozi Obiefule described it as ridiculous for a land to lay fallow for over 35 years.
She said such is a sign of unseriousness, while people are eager to develop if found similar space.
It was however a heart warming motion by Okolie, especially as it generated attention and robust deliberation from all angle, considering the fact that it came in a period where the quest for thorough repositioning of the State is paramount by the PDP led government.
