By our reporter
Elderly men and women including youths of Mimimi in Nawfia, Nijikoka Local Government Area of Anambra State have protested against the sale of the land mapped out for the construction of general purpose and development projects in the community.
The protesters thronged the headquarters of the Local Government Area in Abagana with placards to register their grievances, thereby disrupting adminstrative and other operational activities at the local government headquarters for over thirty minutes.
They urged governor Chukwuma Soludo, including the Njikoka Local Government Authority, to intervene in the issue and call the current executives of the union led by Mr. Anayo Okongwu who is the Chairman and Mr. Chido Nwankwo Secretary, to order.
They also reiterated the needs for the government to quicken their response to ensure that actions of the errant youths in the union’s leadership are brought to book so as to prevent disunity, mistrust, and breakdown of the long-standing constitutional and traditional principles guiding Mmimi Communal Union.
According to them, Ezi Ebenebe land, measuring over 40 plots , belong to the five kindreds under the Union namely, Umuobianagha, Umuoghom, Umueyiuche, Obeagu, and Umunwanduru but the current executives of Mmimi Communal Union allowed illegal sales thereon.
Addressing journalists during the protest, a former Chairman of the union, Chief Gabriel Okonkwo, regretted that the new leadership embarked on the sell of land thag was parcellated, and surveyed by the Surveyor-General of the Old Anambra State as far back as 1988, and was designated by the Union to be used for the construction of a civic centre, and other ancillary projects.
The spokesperson of the elders of the Mmimi union, Chief Goddy Achebe, regretted that only three individuals were perpetrating the anomaly, noting that the constitution of the union was clear on the procedures under which communal properties can be sold or tampered with.
He appealed to the state and Njikoka Local Governments to come to their rescue, assuring that the elders will organize the youths to ensure that they do not take the laws into their hands while they await government prompt response.
For his part, the immediate past Chairman of the Union, High Chief Ifeanyichukwu Nkemka, who exprssed worry that the actions of the union’s leadership were enabled by some elders of the community , giving them impetus to perpetrate the illegal sales , called on the government to call the land grabbers to order.
The youth Chairman , Mr Chinedu Ekwunife, in his remarks, expressed gratitude to the youths for their support towards his new administration and vowed that they will work hard to ensure that all the lands sold illegally are recovered and used for the benefit of the community.
Addressing the protesters the Chairman Njikoka Local Government Area, Chinedu Ononuba commended them for the manner they conducted themselves, noting that it shows that they are interested in peace.
He gave them assurance that the Council authority will wade into the matter immediately with the hearing of all the parties to ensure a balanced view on the matter.
When contacted for reactions on the allegations, the Chairman of the Union,Mr Anayo Okongwu denied all, saying they were false and baseless.
He insisted that the executive followed due process in the selling of the land, claiming that the monies realized were duly used in providing basic necessities in the community.