By Afam Aminu Chimezie Onitsha
Landlords at Ofuobi Estate, Ameri Layout, Nkwelle-Ezunaka, Oyi Local Government Area, Anambra State, Monday, defied the sit-at-home order, in anger to protest alleged hijack of the installation of electrical facilities by a few individuals, thereby frustrating power supply to the estate.
Some of the protesting landlords, carried placards with the inscription: “Emeka Offor, EEDC, Governor Soludo, Stakeholders, come to our rescue, we are being exploited, ”
Speaking during the protest, the chairman of the landlords association in the estate, Chief Peter Umeh, recalled that , “For five to six years we have been denied power supply because a few individuals, that were among those who sold the estate to us, refused to allow us to develop the land,
“They are four in number and have taken us to different courts, all in a bid to take charge of exploiting us by taking control of the electrification of the place and we said no that they have sold the land to us and have no business with the electrification and development.
“They are not even indigenes of the community but have constantly been intimidating us, and today we decide to defy the sit-at-home order to protest the problems we are facing for Governor Charles Soludo, Emeka Offor and EEDC to come to our rescue.”
Also speaking during the protest, the Vice chairman, Chief Ejiofor Ezuruonye, regretted that four people could hold them ransom, adding that, “I have two buildings here but no light and that is why tenants refused to occupy the building. Some of us have even their plots of land sold off without their consent and we are crying for rescue”.
Another agrieved landlord, Barthlomey Mba, said, “My plot and others’ plots were sold off. They don’t want us to develop our land but God will help us. Today is sit-at-home but we defy it to protest.
“When two of our members went to see them to allow us to develop and electrify the area, they were asked to put their complaint in writing and sign which they did, and the people used it to sue us that we have agreed that they should electrify and develop the land which is false”.
Earlier in his speech, an elder and one of the original owners of the land, Chief James Okwudili, pledged to support the protesters especially in ensuring that power is supplied to them.
He frowned at the rate the people were being exploited by some people he described as enemies of progress adding that, “It is unfortunate that some of the electrical installations by the protesters were damaged by the few enemies of progress”.
