Governor Umahi vows to continue with Ebonyi airport despite opposition from local people

GOVERNOR David Umahi of Ebonyi State has vowed that work will continue on the proposed airport planned at Oruzor despite protests from demonstrators objecting to the location of the facility in their community.

Of late, several protestors held a demonstration outside Government House in Abakaliki, saying they opposed the sighting of the airport in their community. Earlier today, the traditional rulers from Ezza South and Ezza North local government areas have disowned the protesters, saying they do not represent them.

Led by the chairman of the Ebonyi State Traditional Rulers Council HRH Charles Mkpuma, the monarchs said the protesters are enemies of progress and did not hail from Oruzor community. They made this known during in a solidarity visit to Governor Umahi today in the chambers of Government House, Abakaliki, the Ebonyi state capital.

HRH Mkpuma said: “Those protesting against the sighting of the airport in Oruzor community are not from Ezza clan. This is because no reasonable person can object to development no matter what. It is foolishness to do such."

He added that the perpetrators and their sponsors will be fetched out and will pay for daring the decision of the state government to site airport in the approved community. It appears that the protesters were objecting to the locating of the facility on their land.

Governor Umahi said work will commence at the said airport site by Wednesday next week. He declared his readiness to pay full compensation to the affected persons whose land will be used for the airport, assuring that he will equally relocate them to another place.