The Ebonyi State commissioner for infrastructure concession, Mr Obasi Abara, has said that the state government will soon pay compensation to all victims of the demolition exercise following the construction of the Vanco Junction flyover in the state capital.
Mr Abara made the disclosure in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital, while interacting with LEADERSHIP following agitation by victims of the demolition exercise over the lack of compensation from the state government.
He noted that the state government has concluded arrangements to commence the payment, adding that the state governor understands the plight of the victims and has expressed readiness to ensure compensation for them.
Some landlords, shop owners, and other facility owners had petitioned the state government over the delay in the payment of compensation for their properties destroyed by the state government.
He noted that for any meaningful development to be achieved in any state capital, there must be demolition of structures that will hinder such development, adding that the Vanco Junction flyover is a priority project of the present administration.
Mr Abara maintained that the flyover would decongest the traffic congestion witnessed along the road, adding that it would also improve the beauty of the capital city.
“If you know our governor very well, he was the speaker for eight years and knows the law. He knows that you will have to pay compensation if you are destroying somebody’s thing.
“Well, for the Vanco Junction dualisation, I’m sure the necessary records have been taken. If people have not received compensation, I’m sure it will come at any moment now.”
On the dualisation of the Waterworks and Hilltop roads within the capital city, Mr Abara noted that no design or master plan is sacrosanct, adding that the dualisation of the road has become a necessity.
He said that those whose properties will also be affected by the cause of the dualisation will also receive compensation from the state.
“As an engineer, there is no sacrosanct design; even at the site when you have already started to do a project, you can change design so not even to talk about the master plan that was done how many years ago, the most permanent thing is change.
