From Paul Osuyi, Asaba
The people of Ajaji in Illah, Oshimili North Local Government Area of Delta State have faulted comments credited to the Secretary State Government, Dr. Kingsley Emu on the 533.97 hectares of ancestral land allegedly trespassed by a private firm, Norsworthy Farms and Agro Allied Limited.
The agrarian community had protested the alleged forceful takeover of the land by the company but the SSG in his reaction, was quoted as saying that the community was compensated, adding that a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was fully executed.
Emu was said to have insisted that the community was a signatory to the MoU, adding that the company had been peaceful.
However, in a statement by the Diokpa of Ajaji, Francis Chukwurah said Emu, who was the then Chief Economic Adviser and chairman of the steering committee, was far from the truth.
Chukwurah said the community is shocked that Emu who supposed to be an impartial arbiter was now playing the role of a public relations officer to Norsworthy, accusing the company of using military men to intimidate the locals.
Chukwurah stated that after series of engagements, the steering committee made recommendations on which the governor acted, adding that the former governor approved the re-imbursement of cost of series of litigations and survey fees for the community.
“For reasons not known to the community and without our knowledge, the money was paid to our lawyer with whom the community had settled part of his agreed fee,” he said.
The statement noted that there was no MoU that was fully executed, disclosing that at the last sitting of the steering committee, “the community was served with draft copies of MoU, Deeds of Lease and Terms of Settlement by the chairman. Discussion on these documents had yet to be held by both parties. We therefore challenge Dr. Emu to produce the fully executed MoU.
“We challenge Dr. Emu to produce proof of payment of compensation for our trespassed 533.97 hectares of land.” The Diokpa added that the Okowa administration approved two compensatory projects – Iyiagwu Erosion Control and construction of two-kilometre Ajaji Road, lamenting that till date, “none of these projects has been executed.”