……….. No
compensation was paid to us - Umuanunu
President General
By Chidi Odor
The federal
University of Technology Owerri (FUTO) is on collision course with one of her
host communities, Umuanunu Autonomous Community over alleged encroachment on their
land.
The villagers
comprising men, women and youths penultimate Friday stormed the senate building
of FUTO, barricaded the road and disrupted activities in the school while their
protested lasted.
Speaking to
newsmen, the president- General of Umuanunu Development Union, Nze Goddy Chukwu
Stated that the people were there to register their grievances over their land usurped
by the institution, stressing that the issue had lingered for a long time as
efforts were being made to resolve the impasse but he, however, alleged that
the FUTO management has been uncooperative.
Nze Chukwu disclosed that the community
had dragged the institution to court over the issue and alleged that they were
tricked into withdrawing the matter for an out-of-court settlement but
regretted that FUTO went ahead with development projects without recourse to the
agreement that led the Umuanunu community to withdraw the matter from court.
The President General
insisted that the community was helbent on getting their land back. In his own
words “our stand is that our land should be given back to us, the over 1,000
hectares of land FUTO had taken is enough, we need land for farming and
expansion”.
He alleged that no
compensation whatsoever was paid on the land acquired by the institution and
challenged FUTO authority to produce any record of such, if such exists.
Meanwhile, the Vice
Chancellor of FUTO, Prof Chigozie Asiabaka was said not to be on seat to address
the protesters. When contacted, the Public Relations Officer of FUTO declined
comments while informing that, the vice chancellor would address the press on
the issue.
©2014
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