Nsulu Airport: Committee begins sensitization of land owners on wise investment of compensation
From Boniface Okoro, Umuahia
Abia State government has followed up payment of compensation to land owners of the host communities of the Abia Airport with sensitization on wise investments of the monies they were being paid by government.
The government recently disclosed that it has started paying compensation to land owners from Nsulu in Isiala Ngwa North Local Government Area where it acquired 1, 025 hectares of land to build the first airport in the state. Already, construction of the runway has been flagged of.
Following the development, the Mr. Fidel Ibeabuchi-led Nsulu Airport Community Economic Development Committee has embarks on sensitizing the beneficiaries to enable them to invest their windfall wisely.
Ibeabuchi, a seasoned banker and Financial expert, who led members of the committee to the Nsulu land owners on Friday, April 18, 2025 to kick-off the sensitization journey, explained that the committee’s objective was to guide the landowners on effective utilization of the compensation and to guide them on investment opportunities available to them.
He said their effort was aimed at saving the beneficiaries from frittering away the monies on frivolities.
The team’s first port call was Umuomainta Nbawsi and Ubaha Nsulu where they engaged with host communities and landowners on optimal ways of investing the compensation payments, assuring them of continued interactions to helping them to make decisions that would secure their future and that of their children when they would no longer have access to their lands which constitute their major source of livelihood at present.
While Ibeabuchi emphasized the importance of wise investment, another member of the team, Dr. Chukwuma Offor, a Chartered Accountant, dwelt on careful and cautious planning.
The Committee told that the landowners that it was imperative for them have bank accounts for easy communication and transactions, adding that those who have no bank accounts could be assisted to open one.
The Committee further assured the communities of its regular visits to ensure that the land owners make proper planning and investment, continued support in the areas of capacity-building, advisory on investment management and entrepreneurship for strategic and sustainable economic development of the communities, leveraging the economic benefits the airport project will bring to the host communities.
Responding, Chairman of the Land Committee from Ubaha, Mr. Orji Maduabuchi, and Mrs. Joy Chioma Ogbonna, a landowner, expressed gratitude to the Committee and pledged their commitment to utilizing the funds wisely.
They thanked the Dr. Alex Otti-led government for the airport project, the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Dr. Caleb Ajagba, and the team for considering important to come to guide them on investment opportunities that will enable them use their monetary compensation wisely.
Other members of the Committee are Mr. David Ibeabuchi Agbakwuru (Vice Chairman), Chief Onyebuchi Ngwaogu (Secretary), Dr. Tony Ibeabuchi and Dr. Stan Ukaoma.
