By Our Correspondent
Ebenesi, one of the quarters of Nnobi community in Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State, has expressed concern and displeasure over an ultimatum to residents to vacate their homes ahead of the planned demolition of buildings to pave the way for a power transmission line by the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).
The residents said they were particularly worried about the absence of an adequate relocation or compensation plan to assist those who would be displaced from their ancestral lands.
Speaking during a peaceful protest in Nnobi, Chairman of Ebenesi, Chief Okechukwu Oraka, said more than 250 houses were affected by the planned demolition, a development that had caused considerable unease among residents.
He said there were no adequate provisions for the relocation of the affected persons, stressing that the community was not opposed to development but appealed to the Federal and Anambra State governments not to be insensitive to the plight of those affected.
Oraka urged the authorities to explore alternative options where possible to save residents from the impending losses, which, he said, had already caused health challenges for some people.
Also speaking, the Vice Chairman of Ebenesi, Chief Patrick Nwanyaku, said the residents were not opposed to government action but appealed for a human face in the implementation of the project, particularly in the resettlement of those whose ancestral lands would be affected.
He suggested that, where feasible, the power line could be routed underground to reduce the impact of the project and cushion the losses to the community.
Another affected community leader, Comrade Stanley Izuegbunam, said the demolition would have a serious impact on the economic livelihood of residents, noting that the cost of constructing new houses had become exorbitant.
He called for dialogue between the government and the affected residents to find a mutually acceptable solution.
Other affected residents, including Chief James Okeke and Mrs Comfort Nwudo, urged the government to look into their complaints, describing the issue as complex and multifaceted, particularly because of the scale of displacement it would cause.
Responding to the Ebenesi residents, the Special Adviser to Governor Chukwuma Soludo on Youth Reformation, Dr Nelson Omenugha, said the project was a Federal Government project being executed under the TCN and predated the Soludo administration.
Omenugha stressed that Anambra needed adequate power infrastructure to support its developmental plans, adding that Nnobi would also benefit from the project.
He acknowledged that development sometimes came with costs but urged the affected residents to articulate a compensation proposal that would adequately address their concerns and provide a basis for dialogue with the government.
The affected residents later marched with placards bearing various inscriptions expressing their grievances to the palace of the traditional ruler of Nnobi, Igwe Nick Obi.
The traditional ruler was represented by the Palace Secretary, Chief Obianumba Ojayaku, while the President-General of Nnobi, Comrade Aloy Olubialu, also received the protesters.
Both expressed dismay over the situation, noting that Nnobi was a densely populated community.
They acknowledged that development came with its costs but pledged to work towards ensuring that the affected residents were not adversely impacted by the project.
