REPORTER: UCHE NDEKE
Elderly men and women including youths of Mimimi in Nawfia, Nijikoka Local Government Area of Anambra State have protested against the sale of the land mapped out for the construction of general purpose and development projects in the community.
The protesters thronged the headquarters of the Local Government Area in Abagana with placards to register their grievances.
Correspondent Uche Ndeke reports that the protest disrupted adminstrative and other operational activities at the local government headquarters for the period it lasted.
Some of the elderly protesters who have been weighed down by age, clutched strongly to their walking sticks to support their movement.
The protesters accused some members of
the Town Union Executive led by Mr. Anayo Okongwu of selling over 40 plots of Ezi Ebenebe land without the community’s consent and called on Anambra State Governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo to investigate the matter and apply appropriate punishment on them.
The Spokesperson of the protesters, Chief Gabriel Okonkwo, claimed that the land was parcellated, and surveyed by the Surveyor-General of the Old Anambra State in 1988 and mapped out for the construction of a civic centre, and other general purpose projects.
" the activities of these individuals, if left unchecked, is capable of causing disunity, mistrust, and breakdown of the long-standing constitutional and traditional principles guiding Mmimi Communal Union. Ezi Ebenebe land, measuring over 40 plots , belong to the five kindreds under the Union namely, Umuobianagha, Umuoghom, Umueyiuche, Obeagu, and Umunwanduru, we are calling for urgent government intervention please" .
An elderly protester Chief Goddy Achebe, said that urgent that intervention of the government was needed on the matter to avoid the break down of law and order in the community.
" Its sad that only three individuals are perpetrating the anomaly, the constitution of the union was clear on the procedures under which communal properties can be sold or tampered with, let the state and Njikoka Local Governments come to our rescue, we have been controlling the youths to avoid any fracas over the matter,"
The Chairman of Njikoka Local Government Area, Chinedu Ononuba commended the protesters for conducting themselves in a peaceful manner and assured that the matter would be investigated by the government.
When contacted the accused Chairman ,Mr Anayo Okongwu described the allegations as false saying the land were sold with the consent of the people and the money being used for the provision of basic necessities in the community.
