Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State on Tuesday made good his pledge to return all property forcefully taken away from their rightful owners by the past government.
He has also reiterated his administration’s desire to promote due processes and protect the interest of all law abiding citizens of Imo State.
At a town hall meeting of stakeholders and the Committee on Implementation of the Imo State Whitepaper on Lands and Other Related Matters held Tuesday at Concorde Hotel, Uzodimma spoke on the need to assuage the pains of the people who were wrongfully treated.
Uzodimma said: “I realized that the only way to assuage the pains of the people was a complete restoration of the lands back to their rightful owners.
“In Orlu, all Government lands at the Government Station Layout and the Eastern Palm University were brazenly taken over by the same people that the people of Imo State entrusted with the sacred duty of protecting and preserving public property.
“In Owerri, the entire layouts (including the proposed New Government House at Area P), Judiciary quarters and many other areas were taken over for private use. The perpetrators also paid no heed to the basic principles of town planning in their drive. Then I realized that the only way to assuage the pains of the people was a complete restoration.
The Chairman of the Committee, Prof. Ukachukwu Awuzie noted that what had happened was a “promise kept, hope restored.”
Among other findings by the Panel were the Public Buildings Plot P/2 Otamiri South Extension Layout (part of public Plot 2 given to Ministry of Women Affairs for the establishment of Skills Acquisition Centre for women), Plot P/5 Naze Residential layout (initially part of Primary Education Commission) were illegally converted to private use by the past administration and given to family members “ALL- IN STORE” along Aba road, Magistrates Quarters, Co-operative office, and Girls Guide office all along Orlu road, Owerri, were illegally converted to private use and is unlawfully being used as Market Square and Kilimanjaro.
“IBC Quarters at Orji and the public road leading up to it were illegally converted to private use and now houses Rochas Foundation College, Legislative Aides/Staff Quarters opposite Concorde Hotel was illegally converted to private use and is now unlawfully being used as Heroes Apartments Residential Estate, the entire Area ‘P’, the proposed new Government House was illegally converted to private use and is now in the hands of his various family members, inlaws and friends, Ministry of Works yard along Okigwe road, Owerri is now an estate of private apartments known as Diaspora Village while all the equipments and the engineering laboratories installed there were carted away”.
“Others were, part of Deputy Governor’s Lodge and Government Office building at Orlu road were converted to personal Hotel, Plot 75A, Housing Area “Old D” (Speakers residence) was demolished and re-allocated for private use, Eastern Palm University, Ogboko was converted to personal use”.
It is against the principle of governance for any administration to use public lands to build private estates. When public funds are used not for public interest but for personal establishments, it should be frown at and the right thing done to forestall future occurrence
We think that this effort is commendable and expect that the people who lost their lands forcefully to the past administration will actually get their lands back in line with the assurances of the present administration. There’s also need to gazette the report to make it implementable.
