NGO embarks on N7bn city for less privileged in Ebonyi

The Africa Nations Development Programme (ANDP), an international Non Governmental Organisation (NGO) based in Abuja has embarked on the construction of a N7 billion city for the less privileged in Ebonyi.

The project is cited at Uburu, Ohaozara Local Government area of Ebonyi.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that when completed, the city had the capacity for 5,000 units of modern two-bedroom houses, schools, police stations, markets, and hospitals among others.

Dr Samson Omojuyigbe, the Director-General of ANDP in Africa, at the groundbreaking on Saturday evening at Uburu, noted that the project was aimed at giving hope to the most vulnerable segment of our society.

According to him, the vulnerable are affected on all sides by the harsh economic situation.

“This is important to us because the project is one of our efforts to ensure the practical fulfillment of the dream of the ANDP in providing relief for the suffering people of Africa.

“I feel particularly happy that Ebonyi has become one of the leading states to benefit from the project presently after overtaking two other states hitherto in the run for the project.

“I therefore congratulate the government and good people of Ebonyi as a member of the frontline states to proudly benefit first.

“The most gratifying issue is that the state government would not make any contribution toward the project but would provide lands and the enabling environment to achieve its success,” he said.

Gov. David Umahi in his remarks said that land owners in Ebonyi would henceforth become equity owners of the investments from local and foreign investors sited on their lands.

According to him, the government in adhering to democratic tenets will not dispossess its people of their lands as they are enjoined to offer lands for joint participation in agricultural enhancement and other economic ventures.

“We have concluded arrangements with Chinese investors to invest in any Local Government Area (LGA) that would provide between 5, 000 and 10, 000 hectares of land for agriculture and other economic ventures.

“We would be approaching the state House of Assembly to enact a law that would ensure that no land will be allotted to investors without the active participation of the owners in its usage,” he said.

Umahi remarked that the desired rate of development would not be achieved in the state if the people hold firm to their lands as the government and investors would not construct on the air.

He thanked the ANDP for undertaking the project in the state, noting that he was fascinated when informed of the success of such project in Calabar, Cross River and other states in the country.

Mr Benjamin Eze, the Country Director of the ANDP, noted that it was an offshoot of the World Nations Development Programme Initiative which undertakes programmes and projects to enhance the lives of the less privileged in the society.

“The Ebonyi government would invest no funds into the project which involves 5, 000 detached bedroom bungalows with facilities such as roads, electricity, schools, police posts and other security installations, hospitals, fire stations, among others,” he said.

Mr Samuel Okoronkwo, the state Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters denied allegations that the land on which the projects would be sited was being disputed by a prominent indigene of the area.