In a bid to increase the housing stock, Anambra state authorities have concluded arrangements to build five new housing estates within Awka, the state capital.The estate slated for five different locations include the Obinwanne estate located at Enugu Agidi, the liberation estate located at the Nawfia and Enugu Agidi axis and the Green Valley estate located near Ngozika Housing Estate in the state capital.

Others are the Savannah Estate to be established at Isiagu town, and the Amansea Housing Estate comprising 10,000 housing units, which is on-going. Chairman, Board of Directors of the Anambra State Housing Development Authority, Chief Godson Ezenagu said, the housing corperation has trained professionals, while legal backings would be provided to give approvals to land acquisition and monitoring of the estates.

Speaking with The Guardian recently in Awka, Ezenagu said: “Government has provided enabling environment including roads in the Obinwanne Housing Estate, which are being asphalted, building drainages and channels to make the areas habitable. Developers have started moving into the Obinwanne Estate to commence work and government is determined to transform the area.”

Meanwhile, the Ezioka community in Awka, has condemned the alleged exclusion in the ownership of the Golf Course/Agwu Imo and Uvunu land in Awka by elders of Amikwo and Agulu communities.

In a statement made available to The Guardian and jointly signed by the chairman, Ndichie Ezioka, Chief Nwabude Nwachukwu, the chairman Ezioka land committee, Chief Nweze Anene and the legal adviser, Keluo Molokwu, the community said they were ready to take legal means, to protect the rights of all Ezioka and land owners within the Golf Course; Agwu Imo and Urunu axis.

They refuted the statement that Agulu and Anukwo people gave the land in question to Anambra State Government for the project.“The truth is that Anambra government acquired the land and paid 20 per cent compensation on crops and economics trees after due verification exercise of the ownership to which Ezioka participated, and were paid without any obligation by the two quarters”. It stated.

He further advised the Anambra government to ignore their claims and continue with its developmental strides of the capital, saying it is a bedlam for the two communities to use their youths against a legitimate developer engaged by the state government.

Speaking with The Guardian, the Chairman, Ezioka Youths Association, Tochukwu Nwosu, revealed that the state government paid the community necessary compensation on the land, insisting that youths from his community did not take part in the protest.

He stressed: “I have told the Amikwo and Agulu people to allow government continue with development projects in the area, but if they continue with their protest, Ezioka community will have no choice than to reclaim our own section of the land”.