This was the gravamen of the Press Conference addressed today by the Honorable Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Abia State, Uche Ihediwa Esq.
The Press Conference held at the Office of the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Government House Umuahia became necessary to dispel the rumors that land has been acquired by the Federal Government in connivance with the Abia State Government and the Traditional Ruler of Arongwa Community, His Majesty, Eze Sir Ndukwe Enwereji, for the purposes of establishing a RUGA SETTLEMENT thereon.
This issue has generated lots of concern in the public domain necessitating the Press Conference.
The summary of the story is that under the Presidency of Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, the Federal Government under the Federal Ministry of Transport had written to the then Governor of Abia State, Senator T A Orji asking for parcels of land for the construction of Trailer Parks in three locations across the State, as a way of helping to manage traffic in our major cities and discourage long trailers and articulated vehicles from entering our towns and creating traffic chaos.
The process of getting land for that Trailer Park took the Ministry to Arongwa where the process was never even completed and no allocation was made for the Trailer Park at the time.
That issue has never been revisited and the Abia State Government has not received any communication from the Federal Government on the issue of RUGA. The position of the South East Governors Forum on RUGA is very clear -namely that it is not workable in this part of the country. This is also the position of the Abia State Government on the matter.
It therefore bothers on deliberate political mischief for anyone to insinuate that the administration of Governor Okezie Ikpeazu is planning to bring RUGA to Arongwa.
No allocation was even made for the Trailer Park at the time, let alone RUGA.
It is our hope that this issue can now rest.
Governor Okezie Ikpeazu is fully committed to the welfare and protection of our people and our collective heritage.
Thank you.
Onyebuchi Ememanka, Esq
Chief Press Secretary to the Governor.
17th July, 2019.