▪️ By Roberts Orji
As a victim crys out to the governor
The Enugu State Governor, Chief Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, has assured the people of the state of his administration’s determination to correct all crummy practices that may have been committed in the State Ministry of Lands. This is sequel to alleged ‘sharp practices’ said to have been going on in the Ministry which may not be unconnected with the resignation of the state’s former Commissioner for Lands, Dr Victor Nnam.
Governor Ugwuanyi who stated this through the state’s Commissioner for Lands, Barr Chidi Aroh, in an exclusive chat with GMTNews, said that Enugu State Government was determined to do justice to all those who were wrongly handled in land administration process.
The Commissioner stated that the state government was following ‘International Best Practice’ in every of the Ministry’s activities, urging all aggrieved persons in the process of land acquisition involving the Ministry to channel their complaints to his office, assuring that all that is required in serving justice will be a done. He confirmed that the state government has within his short stint in office, restored over 15 landed properties to their rightful owners including the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees, NULGE, Enugu State Chapter, and Emene – Akani community.
Commenting on petitions brought to his office, the Commissioner said: “all the ones (complaints) that have been brought to my attention are being handed…
“Of course, Enugu State Government is bent on doing justice to everybody who must have been wrongly handled in the process of land administration but it must be handled (following) the administrative way (procedure).
“Land has to do with declaration of title and it has to be in accordance with the Land Use Act. This declaration can be administratively in exercise of the powers of the governor or judicially by the process of the court…
“Like I said, the state government is committed beyond every reasonable doubt to address all infractions committed in the process of land administration.
“Under (the) one and half month that I have been here as Commissioner, His Excellency the Governor has directed the return of over 15 lands that were taken from people wrongly.
“…We are doing justice and we are committed to that code of doing justice, that is the governor’s commitment”, he concluded.
Meanwhile, one Mr Jerry Nwamaka from Ihe in Awgu LGA of Enugu State who is alleging deployment of forceful means to take over his fenced property with a fully developed 2 bedroom bungalow by one Barr Uche Agu, has continued to cry out to the governor of Enugu State, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, to come to his aid.
He claims that Barr Agu, said to be an appointee of the of the state government, have been harassing him and his tenant with people suspected to be armed thugs with a view to force them out his rightful property which he bought and developed in 2014, and situate at plot 457 Independence Layout Phase II, Enugu.
Nwamaka said Barr Agu has continued to harass and intimidate his tenant and the neighborhood with the thugs, noting that in this month of December alone, he has visited the said premises on Dec. 2, 5 and 8 respectively.
Complaining to the Enugu State Governor, Jerry Nwamaka wrote: “on hearing that Dr. Victor Nnam is no longer the commissioner for lands in Enugu State, Barr Uche Agu (the man who claims to be your SSA) is now using forceful means to try to posses my land and house.
“He has sent his thugs to go after me and my tenant in the said house at plot 457 Independence Layout Phase 2.
“All through this week, he (Uche Agu) has been going there with his thugs to shoot in the air in order to scare everyone including people living in that neighbourhood.
“Sir, my life is now in danger.
“Kindly use your good offices to prevail on Uche Agu to leave my property.
“The peace which is the hallmark of your administration and for which your administration is admired must hold in Enugu State.
“Thank you my Governor.
May the Almighty God bless you and give you the grace to continue with your good work till the end of your administration”.
When GMTNews contacted Barr Uche Agu on phone, he denied the allegations, saying that the land belonged to him.
“Anyway, it is wrong. The land belongs to me, if anybody is telling you…or whatever, whatever they want to, they can go ahead and write anything, the land belongs to me. So… nobody should be telling you anything.
“They have written my name in (on) Facebook, they have written my name in some other things. But if you want to know the owner of the land you go to ministry of lands.
“Somebody can claim anywhere but if you go to (the) ministry of lands they will tell you the owner of the plot,” Barr Agu said. GMTNews
