The Abia State Government has strongly denied allegations of irregularities in the compensation process for landowners affected by the acquisition of land for the proposed Abia Airport project.
Reacting to reports circulating in the media, the Honourable Commissioner for Lands and Housing, Mr. Chaka I. Chukwumerije, described the claims as “false and misleading.”
According to the Commissioner, the Ministry neither appoints attorneys for claimants nor forces them to work with any particular Estate Valuer. He stressed that each landowner reserves the constitutional right to decide whether or not to engage legal or professional representation.
Mr. Chukwumerije further clarified that the Ministry pays 100 percent of compensation directly to landowners. In cases where a claimant chooses to use an attorney, fees are deducted only in accordance with the agreement signed between the two parties.
He also highlighted the Ministry’s commitment to transparency, noting that a strict verification process is in place, which includes the presentation of valid identification cards and regular sensitization efforts to inform landowners of their rights.
Importantly, the Commissioner stated that, so far, no payments have been made to any attorney, pending the conclusion of a double-verification exercise designed to prevent fraud or misrepresentation.
He called on anyone with credible evidence of malpractice to come forward, assuring that such cases would be thoroughly investigated and addressed.
The government reiterated its commitment to fairness and accountability in handling the compensation process and urged the public to disregard false narratives being peddled in the media.
The statement was officially signed by Mrs. Josephine Ogwo, Director of Information at the Ministry of Lands and Housing.
