Allottees protest re-allocation of their plots to others 17 years after

Members of the Federal Housing Estate, Amakama Plot Allottees Association, in Umuahia, Abia State, yesterday staged a protest to the Government House, Umuahia, over alleged re-allocation of their plots to new allottees.

The plots are located at the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing-proposed housing estates sites at Amakama and Evangel areas in Umuahia South Local Council.In a petition dated April 6, 2017, which was addressed to the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, the protesters stated that: “… Our members were allotted plots of land at the sites from 1999/2000, by officials of the ministry. Our members numbering over 500 were made to pay between N400, 000 and N700, 000 for each allocation/plot, contrary to Federal Government of Nigeria regulation.”

They claimed they were also issued allocation papers bearing plot numbers, block numbers and specific site of allocation at the Amakama 1, Amakama 11 and Evangel sites.The letter added that: “Our members were around 2009 and 2012, directed by one Prince Alex Edem, the Zonal Town Planning Officer, in active liaison with the then Comptroller of Works and Housing, one Engr. A. C. Obi, to pay various sums of money ranging from N85, 000 to N250, 000 for each plot or allocation as development fee or levy.

“Officials of the ministry, including Engr A. C. Obi, Alex Edem, Mr. Uduma, Mr. John Akaleme, etc., encouraged our members to pay these sums into various banks accounts domiciled with First Bank, GTB, Access Bank and UBA etc, for them to use in opening up the sites’ access roads, construction of drainages/gutters and the payment of compensation to the original landowners.

In the letter jointly signed by Dr. G. U. Ekezie, and Donald Kalu, both chairman and secretary respectively, read, “Our members were cajoled into compliance. What has become or happened to this money, which runs into millions of naira we do not know, being that the Federal Government has awarded contract for the provision of the site services earlier paid for by us. The ministry should provide an answer.