The Nsulu Airport Landowners Forum has kicked against what it described as “forceful,” “unauthorised,” and lacking in transparency the resumption of the enumeration exercise.
In a strongly worded letter to the Chief of Staff to the Governor, the forum announced its rejection of the current enumeration and demanded its immediate suspension.
The letter, signed by Dr. Max Nduaguibe (Chairman) and Elele Felix (Secretary) of the Forum, follows a virtual meeting held on February 11th, where landowners deliberated on a previous meeting with government representatives on February 9th.
While the landowners acknowledged the Governor’s recent reduction in the land designated for the airport, which the forum welcomed, they expressed deep concern about the government’s subsequent actions.
The landowners’ main complaint concerns the government’s unilateral actions. The forum claims that government officials forcibly entered the property to begin the enumeration process, collecting payment information without the landowners’ consent or participation.
Furthermore, the government appointed estate surveyors to represent landowners with no prior consultation.
The letter stated that the government’s actions are in bad faith, undermine the negotiation process, and raise serious concerns about their sincerity.
The forum insists that the enumeration exercise can only begin once a mutually agreed-upon land size has been formalised and all stakeholders have signed a binding Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
They have requested the immediate withdrawal of the government’s enumeration team, as well as a commitment to fair negotiations, which are set to resume on February 16th.
They emphasize that suspending the enumeration will be key to restoring confidence and ensuring the safety of any future field workers.
The letter also expressed concerns about the fairness of the virtual meeting platform used during previous negotiations. The forum claims that access restrictions prevented its representatives from fully participating, whereas government representatives had unrestricted access.
They are urging the government to resolve this issue before the next meeting.
Copies of the letter were sent to Rt. Hon. Ginger Onwusibe, Member Representing Isiala Ngwa North & South Federal Constituency, and Hon. Collins Iheonunekwu, Member Representing Isiala Ngwa North State Constituency, emphasising the urgency of the situation and the need for action.
The rejection of the enumeration process calls the future of the Nsulu Airport project into question. The government has yet to respond publicly to the landowners’ demands, so the project’s fate and the possibility of further conflict remain uncertain.
The upcoming meeting on February 16th is expected to be crucial in resolving this dispute and determining the next steps.
Observers are waiting to see how the government will respond to these serious allegations of heavy-handedness and lack of transparency.
