By Adadareporters
The Enugu State government’s move to acquire some hectares of land at Nchatancha community in Enugu East LGA of the state is in the interest of the people and state in general, Mr Aka Eze Aka, commissioner for information, said weekend.
Mr Eze spoke against the protest by the natives on Saturday. The natives had protested in their thousands, describing the move as injurious to them.
According to the commissioner, “The interest of the state government is to harness the land in Enugu State to the advantage of its people. We are aware that sometime in the past, there was a gas flaring around the area. All discussions about land will take place before any action is taken. It is important to know that some people unnecessarily like to ignite the feelings of the people and make them protest. This government is a peaceful government that likes discussions for any action to be taken. Those who are embarking on the protest are doing so to besmear the government unnecessarily.
“This is just like the good intention of the government to establish a ranch in Uzo-Uwani where government believes that ranch is the best form of taking care of the cattle. And we don’t want herders to roam in any part of the state in line with the state anti-open grazing law. Government wants to do something very new, but politicians, even before we discuss very well, got an air of the interest of the government and went to town to engineer the people towards social protest.
“In the case of Nchatancha, it is not in that area that the government plans to build the New Enugu City. We don’t take over people’s land without consultation. Those who are interested in political gains use the opportunity to create disturbances. The interest government has there is to ensure that people settle in their homes, and there will be peace. And there will be projects going on. The New Enugu City is not a one local government affair. It connects about four LGAs. The issue of gas flaring is also connected to the federal government.”
Our correspondent reports that the natives, numbering over 3, 000, protested on Saturday displaying placards bearing inscriptions like ‘our house and land are not for sale’ ‘Nchatancha Nike life matters’, ‘Enugu State government, leave us alone’. They were chanting: “This is an abomination. Government has taken our land. All we have is gone. Nchatancha community is finished. We shall not agree. Let the governor hear us. Hunger will kill us.”
The women’s leader of the community is Justina Nnamani. She said, “We have already given them a large expanse of land, but they said it is not enough. Now they told us to leave our community totally. I cry every day. I don’t know where to take our children to. We have begged the governor at the Government House to leave our land alone because we already gave them some. But he refused. They have ordered that all our houses be removed. They sprayed teargas on us. I am asthmatic. Our farm plantations have all been destroyed. They deployed soldiers and police to force us out. They barricaded our roads. We did not commit any offence by voting Gov Mba.”
The assistant secretary of Nchatancha Nike Community, Anike Samsom Benjamin, said, “The community is not happy over what the state government is doing to us. They want to take 80% of our community land without the consent of this community. Almost 90% of the entirety of the community is here. They want to take over the land without the due process. They want to allot the land to big politicians. They want to demolish our houses. Nobody consulted us. Our traditional ruler and the elders did not agree also.”
Mrs Obinna Onyeachonam is from the community. She said, “From nowhere, my house was marked for demolition. They said the state government wants to take over our place. I am not happy at all. There is no notice. I have lived in my house for over seven years.”
Grace Nwankwo, a native, alleged that her house has been pulled down. In her words, “My sources of living, like cash crops, have been destroyed. No compensation was paid. My husband is hospitalised.”
Nnenna Nwekete is also a native. She claimed that, “My house and those of my relatives are gone. My cassava plantation is gone.”
Anayo Nnamani, vice chairman, Nchatancha Youths, said, “We voted this government, and look at our situation! Do they want us to live in the air! We agreed to give the state government 200 hectares, but they said they want all of them. What do they want from us?”
Our correspondent saw a notice by the government urging the affected natives to remove their structures and present documents relating to the affected property to a designated office.
