Protest in Onitsha: Occupants of defunct SDP party office protest FF ejection...as Onitsha South LG claims ownership
By Chinwe Nwacha, Onitsha
Occupants of the defunct Social Democratic Party (SDP) house situated along Niger Street, Fegge Onitsha, Anambra State, have taken to the streets, protesting alleged ejection by the Federal Government, through Golden Crown Consult Nigeria Limited, based in Asaba, Delta State capital.
Our Reporter gathered that the property has been leased out to a businessman by the Federal Government through Golden Crown Consult Nigeria Ltd at the cost of N37,612,978.00 and quit notice served on the occupants.
The occupants who are mostly police personnel and few civilians confirmed the ejection notice but lamented the short timeframe of two weeks and pleaded that they should be given up to three months or end of this year.
The aggrieved protesters, some of who carried leaves, explained that they live with their families and as bread winners should be given enough time to vacate.
They admitted receiving N300,000 per occupant as compensation to enable them look for alternative accommodation.
The lease offer by the FG to Golden Crown Consult Nigeria Ltd read in part thus: “The Presidency. Implementation committee of the white paper on the commission of inquiry into the alienation of Federal Government landed property”.
“Further to your expression of interest to take up a leasehold interest in the above mentioned property (hereinafter referred to as the FGN), together with all appurtenances, rights of way, easements and privileges related thereto. We are pleased to inform you that Mr President has graciously approved that you should be offered a lease of the property on as is basis at the stipulated price (hereinafter referred to as the consideration).”
Pleading for more time to enable them park out, one of the occupants, Delight Okwuegbulem, said, “We are not saying we will not park out. What we are saying is that they should give us more time. Initially, they told us three months and later said two weeks.
“We cannot find an alternative place in two weeks, at least three months to end of this year. I have stayed here for three years. The time frame they gave us is too short,” he pleaded.
Also a female resident, Mrs Anthonia Onyebuchi stated that, “We have not seen houses to park in, since the time they serve us the quit notice till now we have not rested as we continue to look for an alternative place. They should help us by giving us six months or more,” she begged.
Contacted, the scribe of Onitsha South council area, Paul Onuachala, insisted that the party house in question belongs to Onitsha South local Government area and warned that nobody or group should lay claim to it
His words: “The property belongs to Onitsha South Local Government area, so they have no right to sell or lease it. The person selling it or leasing it has no genuine title, so how can he sell.
“The property in question is a right issue that belongs to Onitsha South local Government area that inherited it from old Onitsha Urban council, down to Onitsha Local Government and now to Onitsha South Local Government area. If Fegge local Government is created the property will belong to Fegge Local Government area,” he stated.
On the issue of Ogbo family of Umuasele village Onitsha (claiming ownership) vs National Inland Waterways Authority, NIWA having a pending case in court over ownership of the property, the council secretary reiterated that NIWA does not navigate in the party house but in the river and as such has no business in it.
Contacted for confirmation as at the time of filing this report, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Tochukwu Ikenga (SP), has not responded to test messages sent to him.
