Abia State government has approved full compensation to owners of structures that will be affected by the proposed 6-lane Ossah-Mission Hill-Okpara Square, Umuahia road expansion project.
The commissioner for lands and housing, Chaka Chukwumerije stated this during a townhall meeting with owners of the structures in Umuahia, the state capital.
While explaining that payment of the compensation which is for 130 structures had begun, and added that the payment is online and direct crediting of the account of each of the owners.
He said as an administration with a human face, the meeting was to carry the owners along as the interest of the people of the state is uppermost in whatever it is doing.
According to him, part of the essence of the meeting was to notify the owners that the offloads had been sent to the office of the state accountant general to commence direct credit.
“Second, the meeting is also meant to get further feedback from the owners in case there are any other loose end that haven’t been discussed and dealt with,” he announced.
“We recognise the inconveniences this might cause and that is why we talked about full compensation in line with the law. Also, that is why we have given sufficient time to the owner to relocate,” he added.
Some of the owners, Henry Ekwuribe and Cecilia Onyebuchi, while speaking separately, appealed to the administration to adhere strictly to its pledge to compensate them.
The duo, who appreciated the development initiative of the administration as it affects the road expansion, assured of their cooperation to ensure the completion of the project.
