From Sylvia Udegbunam, Enugu

The Enugu Government has met with leaders of the Aguowa community ahead of the relocation process of the residents as part of the government’s big plan to clear all slums in Enugu city by the end of 2026. 

At the meeting, which was held at Government House, Enugu, the government said that eye-marking of property owners at Aguowa would begin on Friday while a two-week deadline set for the submission of title documents to the Office of the Secretary to the State Government would commence on Monday.

While making clarification on the verification process, the Commissioner for Housing in the state, Dr. Martin Chukwunweike, however, noted that simply submitting property documents would not be enough for the verification.

“The verification process will go beyond submitting property documents. We want to do physical verification. We will do eye-marking. You stand before the property, and we ascertain the property, the size, the document you have – if it is Certificate of Occupancy or not – then the government will decide the property that is conducive to stay, and the one to go.

“Governor Mbah plans that there will be no slums in Enugu city by 2026. That is why this exercise is important. The governor said we will help those who have issues with the title because if you do not have a valid title document, you cannot be entitled to relocation. The relocation process will also be at no cost,” the commissioner said.

Speaking, Dr. Ikechukwu Nebo, a stakeholder from Aguowa community, thanked the commissioner for the way things were being resolved so far, affirming that he was sure the governor meant well for the people and the state.

“Governor Peter Mbah promised to carry the people of Aguowa along in what they are doing, and that has been the case. I thank the commissioner for the way and manner this meeting has resolved the issue of old and new. Everybody is happy,” he said.

Also speaking, Ifeyinwa Ozoaka, a resident of Aguowa said she would support all government efforts to see that Aguowa is developed, but urged the government to have a human face while embarking on the relocation or resettlement process.

“If the government has an intention to redevelop Aguowa, it is a good path and a laudable idea, but when the government wants to start this process, they should wear the emblem of humanity and human face;” she stated.

The Commissioner for Lands, Chimaobi Okorie, stressed the importance of the verification, assuring the people that it was about openness, taking inventory of what is where, to know who truly owned a property, and to verify property owned by inheritance and others.

Meanwhile, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Legal Matters and Inter-Ministerial Relations, Juliet Okonkwo, assured the stakeholders of Aguowa community at the meeting that what the governor was doing was in their best interest and that of the state.

“Since May 29, 2023 when Dr. Peter Mbah was sworn in as the Governor, all he has been doing is to make Enugu better, both rural and urban areas. Someone asked why it is only Aguowa that was singled out. But that is not the case. There are about 25 sites, slum areas that will be cleared. We may have started with Aguowa, but we will get to the other 24 sites. It is for the best interest of these 25 areas,” Okonkwo said.