Landlords of Grand Favour Estate Nkwelle Ezunanka in Oyi Local Government Area of Anambra State has called on the state government to come to their aid following the siting of a gas plant.
ANN gathered that the group led a peaceful protest with placards at the site of the gas plant before heading to the State Government House and State Secretariat, Awka
Addressing the landlords, Commissioner for Environment Dr. Felix Odimegwu confirmed that the Ministry of Environment received a petition from landlords of the estate and assured them that the ministry and other relevant agencies would look into the situation.
Speaking to journalists in separate interviews, the Chairman of the estate, Mr. Ernest Okeke, residents of the estate, Mr. Damian Ajagu and Mrs. Ifeoma Odada said what prompted their peaceful protest is a recent threat by the owner of the gas plant Mr. Bede Abasili to continue work on the site despite a stop work order placed on the property by the Ministry of Environment.
According to the landlords, before they bought lands in the estate, they had an agreement on paper with the said Mr. Abasili who sold the land to them that structures like gas plant, fuel stations, and hotels will not be erected in the estate, pointing out that the original plan of the estate did not make provision for a gas plant.
They said they had written a petition to the Ministry of Environment concerning the location of the gas plant and pleaded with the state government to look into the situation, which they described as a time bomb.
