Otti shares his views on the Enyimba Economic City issues

Governor Alex Otti of Abia State has said he is not against the Enyimba Economic City project.

He stressed that all processes related to the project must be clear and correctly done.

Mr Otti made this known on Thursday when members of the newly formed Board of the Enyimba Economic City Development Company visited him in Nvosi, Isiala Ngwa South Local Government Area of Abia.

He stated that his government is pro-business and ready to support investments that follow the rules and protect the interests of the state and its people.

"So I’m not against any Enyimba Economic City, but I believe that there are things that were not properly done and they should be done properly.

"But having said that, since the matter is subjudice, I’ll leave it at that," the governor said.

Otti explains the start of disagreements on the project

Governor Otti explained that his government’s decisions about the land for the project came from worries over how the land was acquired and the lack of proper documents.

He said the state wanted to keep about 1,000 hectares for the Abia Industrial and Innovation Park.

"About how we got here, when we had our meeting, it was about the company sitting over about 1,000 hectares out of the close to 10,000 hectares.

"I think it’s about 9,803 hectares of land, spanning through Ugwunagbo, Ukwa East and Ukwa West and we were setting up the Abia Industrial and Innovation Park.

"So, after the meeting, the company agreed, only to renege later and asked us to go to the federal government.

"So, what we did was, since the land belongs to us as a government and since we couldn’t take only 1,000, we revoked the entire C-of-O and took the 1,000 that we required.

"I’m just going into this out of respect and this matter is now before the court, so, ordinarily, I would say it’s subjudice until the court finishes with this matter.

"Subsequently, I think the matter went to arbitration and some monies were awarded to the government," Mr Otti said.

He also mentioned that documents with his government showed that Abia State Government was entitled to only six percent equity in the company, even with the large land involved.

"Even the documents I have shown you say that the government has six percent of the equity.

"I was just asking myself, so you give 10,000 hectares of land in Abia and you have six percent equity?

"I would not do that kind of deal," the governor said.

He raised concerns that some original landowners had not been compensated, leading to several court cases.

He said he had no issue with investors buying land for projects, as long as the affected communities were compensated fairly and agreements were made.

"If Enyimba Economic City goes and acquires those lands, pays the people, and they have an agreement, you should come and I will give them C-of-O or title documents. I don’t have a problem.

"I support businesses. People are acquiring land; once you do the right thing, I have no problem," Mr Otti said.

He added that his government would keep supporting genuine investments while insisting on fairness, transparency, and accountability in dealing with public assets.

He congratulated the members of the reconstituted board, saying he was confident their experience would help solve the issues around the project.

The governor assured the board that his government would stay focused on governance and the people's welfare, despite the disagreements on the project.

He said leadership must always put the welfare and security of the people first, calling any failure to do so selfish leadership.

He thanked the board for their visit and expressed hope that their efforts would help resolve the issues surrounding the project legally.

Visiting group asks for Otti’s forgiveness

Earlier, the Chairman of the board, Sam Ohuabunwa, said the visit was to introduce the new board to the governor.

Mr Ohuabunwa described Otti’s government as a sign of democracy working, noting that residents could see real improvements in infrastructure and other areas.

He said the board had looked into the disagreement between the company and Abia State Government, calling the dispute puzzling since Abia was a partner in the Enyimba Economic City project.

He added that the board was not looking to reopen old wounds but was seeking forgiveness and a chance to rebuild the relationship with the state government.

"Enyimba Economic City project is important not only to Abia but also to the South-east geopolitical zone and Nigeria.

"Our critical request is for your forgiveness and forbearance in all the ways that things did not happen the way they ought to have happened.

"We should begin to see how we can walk back, repair the relationship, rebuild it and move forward together," Mr Ohuabunwa said.

He also said the board was ready to work with the governor to make sure the project achieves its goals.

He mentioned that nothing should stop the development process already started by the government.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the Enyimba Economic City project was started by former Governor Okezie Ikpeazu as Abia’s industrial and economic hub.