N100 Million Land Compensation Tears Former Governor Peter Obi's Community Apart

    

There is tension in Governor Peter Obi’s home town , Agulu in Anaocha local government Area over government approved one hundred million naira (N100 Million) compensation for the Lake Resort Project by the Anambra state government.  The poroject is worth several millions of naira attarcted by former Governor Peter Obi who equally approved the compensation.

 

The money is therefore still with an Estate valuer , Gilbert Nwanna and Partners , Chief Gilbert Nwanna firm allegedly in a fixed deposit account since the money was brought by the government.

This Sunday Nation discovered was because of the crisis already brewing about the cash money sequel to a request by the Traditional ruler of Agulu Igwe Innocent Obodoakor and the President General, Chief Paulinus Aniagboso for the money to be paid into an account which the three villages concerned allegedly rejected.

Agulu community in a letter to Chief Nwanna  Gilbert  signed by Igwe Innocent Obodoakor and President General Chief Paulinus Aniagboso  and chairmen of the three villages and the Agulu community secretary General  entitled : ‘’ in  view of the numerous complaints and conflicting claims we have been receiving since the payment of the monetary compensation for Agulu Resort Project by the Anambra state government , we wish to invite you to a crucial meeting with the undersigned . Our Resolution, the community gave the firm a bank account to pay the money’’.

Others who signed the request for the money to be released were Mr Julius Uzoabaka for Umubialla village , Sir Goddy Ajiba Secretary General Agulu Peoples Union Nigeria , Mr Mark Ifezue  for Okpu Village and Sir Luke Uzokwe for Umuowelle village.

It read in part: ‘’ we write as representative of Agulu who are the beneficiaries of the N100,000m,000.00 (One hundred Million naira) compensation for Agulu Lake Resort project by the Anambra state government . The Agulu town Union in consultation with the three villages namely Umubialla , Okpu and Umuowelle agreed that the compensatory amount over the land acquired by the Anambra state government for lake Resort be paid into UBA A/C No 1002765047 of Agulu peoples Union Nigeria. The beneficiaries also promised that all the parties entitled to benefit from the said money shall be attended to upon reciept of the said sum……….’’.

   But Chief Gilbert Nwanna had written the Okpuifite Agu-Ikpo land committee as the place is called requesting for harmonization of different groups submitting claims over the land for compensation money paid in respect of Agulu lake Resort project with a view of authenticating the rightful claims and releasing their money to them accordingly.

However, the President General of Agulu Peoples Union Nigeria , Chief Paulinus Aniagboso confirmed the Government of Anambra state during Governor Peter Obi tenure released One hundred Million naira to three villages of the community that owned land where the Agulu Lake Resort is being developed but went through a process which was handing over the land to the Town union who in turn handed over the land to the government wondering what is wrong from the state handing over the money to the community who in turn hands over to the villages  concerned.  

Aniagboso said: ‘’the three villages gave Agulu the land to give to the state government and Agulu set up a land committee to facilitate issues concerning the land. Agulu again said the land has no right to collect the compensation money from the government but the Agulu Peoples Union.  We opened an account with the three chairmen of the three villages as signatories to the account and   with myself and the Agulu Secretary playing supervisory roles.  But what we saw was that the committee representing the three villages gave one man (Chief Gilbert Nwanna  of Gilbert Nwanna and partners)power of Attorney  to collect the money if the state government pays without the Town Union having any knowledge of that’’.

Aniagboso alleged that the committee now came up with signing off 30 percent of the One hundred Million naira to the Nwanna firm but we rejected the offer even when they explained how the money would be shared because it was not necessary. The money belonged to those who own the land and there is no need for anybody to steal from it when the rightful owners have not gotten enough compensation for their economic trees and crops destroyed for the Resort to be built.

He said the community was even fair to have asked the committee to state the amount they spend so that they would be paid by the community but they insisted collecting 30 percent from the money . We have written the man asking him top pay the money into our account but he has not compiled and we would soon write the new Governor, Chief Willie Obiano over the matter.

The Agulu PG alleged that the situation is good for the Nwanna firm as he deposited the money in a fixed deposit allegedly collecting the interest accruing to the One Hundred Million naira.

But a stakeholder from Okpu village and a former President General of Agulu Community, Chief Anthony Oguejiofor-Agidigbo disputed the statement of the President General Chief Aniagboso alleging that the President General, Chief Paulinus Aniagboso and the traditional Ruler Igwe  Innocent Obodoakor  wanted to embezzle the money meant for the three villages.

He argued that the land and economic trees thereof with crops on the land belonged to three villages of Umubialla , Okpu and Umuowelle  and therefore Agulu as a community should not have anything to do with it.

He informed further that Governor Peter Obi warned the community of trying to embezzle the money for compensation of the land owners.