Imo women protest against alleged forceful-take over of their farmlands by govt, denied entry into Sate secretariat, IMHA premises
'The lands were lawfully acquired , compensation paid'
The Women of Oboukwu Obinze community in Owerri North council Area of Imo state, on Tuesday -today, March 18 – stormed the Imo State House of Assembly to protest against the alleged forceful take-over of their farmlands by the Imo state Ministry of Housing.
The women who numbered over hundred, and dressed in the traditional mourning attire of all-black, were denied access into the Imo State House of Assembly complex by security agents manning the gates, on the grounds that the state Legislators were not sitting.
The protesting women were also barred from entering the State Secretariat by the security guards who advised them to take their protest to the Government House.
The leader of the women, Mrs. Ayozie Grace decried the intimidation of the hapless members of the community by officials of the Imo State Ministry of Housing, with the use of officers of the Tiger base.
She said officials of the Ministry of Housing led by one Pastor Anthony Eke has demolished property on people’s farmlands, lamenting that the lands being forcefully acquired were the same lands conceded to the community by the state government as compensatory lands after due negotiations with the community.
“We are protesting to draw the attention of the State government to the forceful acquisition of our farmlands by officials of the Imo state Ministry of Housing, through one Pastor Anthony Eke of the Imo State Housing Cooperation, who is leading the onslaught against the peace loving community by forcefully taking the small portion of land left to our people out of negotiations between the government and community.
We are calling on Governor Uzodimma to save us from the land grabbing activities of the Ministry of Housing and its officials as we have no other land on which to farm or for our children to even build their own houses.
“We don’t have any other land for farming or where to build even a house as the officials of the ministry have demolished some of the homes even built by widows in the portion of land left by their late husbands. Our lands in Ovoro\Uzo Umuocha\Mgbaouzobaji land Obokwu Obinze, have been forcefully taken by the officials of the ministry of Housing through the Imo Housing Cooperation, which has engaged officers of the Tiger Base of the Imo State police command to intimidate and harass the community members. ”
However, reacting to the allegation of land grabbing , the Ministry of Housing in statement by Stanford Arinze said that the land in question was lawfully acquired by Imo state government during the administration of Govenor Achike Udenwa and that compensations were duly paid .
The statement read: ” The Ministry of Housing and Imo Housing Corporation have noted that the unnecessary demonstrations and agitations are being orchestrated by few individuals (whose parents and forebears had received full compensation for the same acquired land). These individuals have still gone ahead to sell parts of the land to unsuspecting buyers.
“The Imo State Government, through the Imo Housing Corporation, has taken possession of the land and advises the public to exercise caution when engaging in land transactions. It is essential to always conduct thorough search with the Ministry of Lands, Survey, and Urban Planning to avoid any potential issues.”
