Residents of Owaza Community in Ukwa West Local Government Area of Abia State have called on the State Governor, Alex Otti to return their ancestral lands allegedly acquired for the Abia Industrial and Innovation Park (AIIP).
In separate interviews with Kristina Reports, they accused the government of leaving the land undeveloped more than three years after the project’s groundbreaking ceremony.
They lamented that the proposed industrial park, initially celebrated as a catalyst for economic transformation, has yet to deliver visible development, while the community continues to suffer from deplorable roads, lack of electricity and inadequate potable water.
They alleged that over 1,000 hectares of land acquired for the project have remained largely unused, with portions reportedly occupied by cattle herders, raising security concerns and restricting access to farmlands.
One of the residents, Chidiebere Nweze, said the situation had heightened fear among community members, particularly farmers and residents travelling through the affected area.
“Once it is 4 p.m., people become afraid to pass through this area to their homes and farms. The governor should come and see what is happening here. Nothing is going on, and we don’t need an industrial park here. Let us have electricity and good roads first,” he lamented.
Nweze further alleged that the community had become increasingly isolated, with declining commercial activities and businesses relocating to more accessible areas.
“We don’t even know if we are still part of Abia State. This situation has cut us off from other communities,” he said.
Another resident, David Godwin, recalled that the community initially welcomed the industrial park, believing it would attract investments, generate employment and improve living conditions.
He disclosed that some landowners voluntarily released their properties, while others sold theirs in anticipation of the promised economic opportunities.
“When the announcement was made that an industrial park would be constructed here, we were all happy. We believed it would bring development and opportunities to our people,” Godwin said.
“But today, the reverse is the case. How can the government take such a massive land and up till now, nothing has been done? They should give us back our land. We don’t need an industrial park, we need roads and electricity.”
The residents consequently urged Governor Otti to urgently address their grievances by commencing meaningful development of the industrial park, providing essential infrastructure and tackling the alleged security threats, or returning the affected lands to their original owners.
Kristina Reports gathered that the groundbreaking ceremony for the Abia Industrial and Innovation Park was held on September 30, 2023, with the project envisioned as a major industrial hub accommodating modular refineries, petrochemical plants, fertiliser factories and steel production facilities.
The project was expected to attract investments, create employment opportunities and stimulate economic growth across Abia State and the wider Niger Delta region.
However, more than three years after the ceremony, residents insist that the anticipated transformation has yet to materialise.
Reports have variously placed the proposed project’s land area at over 1,000 hectares and approximately 1,995 hectares, while the government had previously announced arrangements for compensating affected landowners.
The residents’ complaints have consequently raised questions about the project’s implementation timeline, the status of land compensation, security around the acquired property and the government’s obligations to host communities.
For Owaza residents, the immediate concern is no longer the promise of industrial prosperity, but the loss of access to productive land, worsening insecurity and the continued absence of basic amenities.
As the community awaits government intervention, questions remain over when construction will commence, what measures are being taken to secure the land and whether affected property owners will receive adequate compensation or regain access to portions no longer required for the project.
The Abia State Government was yet to respond to the residents’ allegations just as enquiries by Kristina Reports was yet to be respond to as at the time of this report.
