Deputy Governor of Abia State, Ikechukwu Emetu has advised the people of Azumini in Ukwa East LGA of the State to refrain from acts capable of hindering the ongoing road construction in their community.
The deputy governor made this statement in his office in Umuahia while addressing some delegates from the community, on their attitude towards a road construction project by Akwa Ibom State government on a Federal road linking it with the Abia community.
Emetu expressed dismay that despite a previous meeting with some delegates of Azumini on the road project, the Azumuni people have continued to entertain the fears that they may be annexed into Akwa Ibom, thereby hindering the progress of road construction by the Akwa State government.
His words: “Abia state government has had discussion with Akwa Ibom government on the road construction and that the project construction company has no plan of annexing any part of Abia State.
“It is the boundary council that has the duty to annex an area”.
The Abia Deputy Governor who assured that no part of Abia would be annexed to another State, reminded the community that there is an agreement that the Akwa Ibom State government would pay compensation to any person whose land or crops were destroyed in the cause of the road project.
Fidelis Nnah, who spoke on behalf of the Azumuni people, said they were not against the road project but were interested in a written agreement between the two States on the road construction to avoid boundary crises in the future, even as he thanked the Deputy Governor for the detailed explanations and assurance given to his people.