Airport project: Ex-minister Ikoh urges Alex Otti to explore dialogue with host communities

Chief Henry Ikechukwu Ikoh, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abia state, has appealed to the government of Abia state not to engage the use of force and state might in dispossessing the Airport land owners of their land without making adequate monetary payments.

In a statement on Friday, the former minister of State Science and Technology, stated this at Owerri during an engagement with a section of stakeholders from Abia State.

APC 2027 governorship hopeful said the people are entitled to adequate compensation comensurate with the size and value of land offered by the host communities for State Airport infrastructure and as such government should seek peaceful approach in acquiring the land.

“The Abia State Airport project is not only threatened by funding but by possible resistance from Airport Communities land owners who feels short changed by the state government for not meeting up with their expected monetary compensation.”

While making a case for adequate and peaceful settlement Chief Ozurumba advised the host communities not to take the laws into their hands by violently resisting progress on the project.

He appealed to the youths of the area to shun acts of vandalism and criminality in pursuing their legitimate rights.

The governorship aspirant said: “Giving room to avoidable obstacles can further delay the projected completion time for the Airport construction thereby denying the state and Abians of the derivable economic and employment advantages from the project.

” So I urge the state governor to engage the services of professional property valuers in determining the value of the property and accrueable monetary value before making payments to the various land donors.”