Owaza Residents Fear Loss of Farmlands as Industrial Park Stalls

For residents of Owaza community in Ukwa West Local Government Area of Abia State, the promise of an industrial park that would create jobs, improve infrastructure and transform their livelihoods has given way to uncertainty, as they lament the absence of visible development on land acquired for the project.

More than three years after the foundation-laying ceremony for the Abia Industrial and Innovation Park (AIIP), some residents say they are yet to see the benefits they anticipated, while concerns over access to farmland, insecurity and poor public infrastructure continue to affect their daily lives.

They have appealed to Governor Alex Otti to either commence the project and fulfil its development promises or return the land to its original owners so they can resume farming and other economic activities.

The residents claimed that more than 1,000 hectares of land had been acquired for the project but alleged that no meaningful construction had taken place on the site.

For a community where many households depend on farming and small-scale trading for their livelihoods, they said the prolonged uncertainty had raised questions about their economic future.

“We don’t need an industrial park here. We need roads, electricity and a good source of water. We don’t have the basic necessities of life, yet our lands have been taken for a project that has not commenced,” one resident lamented.

The residents said their concerns extended beyond the stalled project to the difficulties of living in a community they described as lacking essential infrastructure.

Poor roads, inadequate electricity and limited access to reliable water supply, they said, had continued to affect their daily activities, prompting calls for the government to address their immediate needs.

They also expressed fears over the alleged presence of cattle herders on the acquired land, claiming that the situation had heightened insecurity and made farming and movement around the area increasingly difficult.

Chidiebere Nweze, a resident, said people were particularly apprehensive about moving through the area in the evening, while farmers worried about reaching their farmlands.

“Once it is 4 p.m., people become afraid to pass through this area to their homes and farms. The governor should come and see what is happening here. Nothing is going on, and we don’t need an industrial park here. Let us have electricity and good roads first,” he said.

Nweze added that the situation had affected commercial activities and deepened the community’s sense of isolation.

“We don’t even know if we are still part of Abia State. This situation has cut us off from other communities,” he said.

For David Godwin, another resident, the disappointment is particularly painful because of the hopes the project initially inspired.

He recalled that the community welcomed the announcement of the industrial park, believing it would bring employment opportunities, attract businesses and improve living conditions.

According to him, some landowners voluntarily released their land, while others sold theirs in anticipation of the development they expected the project to bring.

However, he said those expectations had yet to translate into visible improvements in the community.

“When the announcement was made that an industrial park would be constructed here, we were all happy. We believed it would bring development and opportunities to our people. Some people gave their lands freely, while others sold theirs because they believed better things were coming,” Godwin said.

“But today, the reverse is the case. How can the government take such a massive land and up till now, nothing has been done? They should give us back our land. We don’t need an industrial park; we need roads and electricity,” he added.

Godwin also alleged that the presence of herders had disrupted farming activities, further compounding residents’ concerns about their safety and livelihoods.

The residents are asking the state government to provide clarity on the project’s status and explain when construction will begin, what arrangements have been made for affected landowners and how the concerns of the host community will be addressed.

The Abia Industrial and Innovation Park is a major development initiative of the Otti administration, conceived to attract investments in modular refining, petrochemicals, fertiliser production and steel manufacturing. The government expects the project to create jobs, stimulate economic activity and transform Owaza into an industrial hub.

The foundation-laying ceremony took place on September 30, 2023. The government also announced a compensation process for affected landowners, while reports have cited varying estimates of the land acquired, ranging from more than 1,000 hectares to approximately 1,995 hectares.

While the proposed industrial park holds the promise of long-term economic opportunities, residents say their immediate concerns remain unresolved.

For them, development must be measured not only by the scale of land acquired or the industries planned, but also by whether the project improves access to roads, electricity, water, jobs and secure livelihoods.

They want the government to act so that the land once associated with hopes of a better future does not remain a source of uncertainty for the people who call Owaza home.