The Attorney to the Federal University of Technology (FUTO) Owerri host Communities,Chief Sam Anokam last Saturday,17th April , presented the Master Plan Project for for the Aroche New Town/Smart City to the Stakeholders and Representatives of the Customary Land Owners drawn from the six Host Communities concerned, Namely; ,Avu,Obinze,Dindi Ihiagwa, Ihiagwa Ancient Kingdom,Umuanunu and Umuoma Nekede.
The Stakeholders meeting which took place at the Attorney’s palatial home in Ihiagwa recorded a huge turn out of the members of the host communities who later left his abode satisfied that their demand has been met by the Federal Government.
Anokam informed the people that Aroche New town originated from the release of about 1000 hectares of land on Port Harcourt Road axis under the excision of land acquired for FUTO through him.
The Principal Consultant, Anokam and Associates also made it known that the Aroche New Town shall be a Smart City which shall be developed in line with Public Physical Planning Development Guidelines.That the host communities shall collaborate with the Federal and State Government in the development of the first Community based urban development initiative in Nigeria.
The Estate surveyor & valuer of no mean repute also said that the essence of building a standard smart city is to have an urban population that will enjoy comfortable, healthy, safe,accessible and socio-economic resourceful living conditions within an efficient and sustainable urban environment .
Moreover to assuage the restiveness of the FUTO host communities on the extensive acquisition of their traditional farm land holdings amongst other aims.
Furthermore, the proposed Aroche New Town would have good Arterial roads , Transportation Network and Utility lines ,Activity Recreational Parks,Educational and Health Facilities,Decentralized Safe Water Services,Central Sewage and Solid Waste Management Dual Energy Sources from the National Electric Power Supply Grid and Solar Panel from Roof Tops Of housing and Commercial areas.
He advised the visibly elated representatives to take the good news back to their respective communities that work at the proposed Aroche New Town is about to commence and land owners who are yet to identify their lands and be captured should avail themselves of the opportunity to do so.
In the same vein,he enjoined them to shun bickering, dispute and disagreement over land ownership/acquisition insisting that what they are doing does not call for war or discord amongst them “we should allow peace,unity and understanding to reign supreme and be the order of the day.
The Knight of the Anglican communion also debunked the rumour making rounds that the Federal Government is now dealing with the land owners directly by giving the excised lands back to the them Therefore the land owners cannot sell their lands/use them at will “Tell your people that these stories flying here and there are all false, any land owner who has indulged in illegal selling of the excised land stands at a very huge risk.
Besides,any private Estate Developer who wishes to participate in the planned Scheme must key into the set out development framework based on achievable standards ,terms and condition. Anokam said
it would be recalled that the struggle for the exercision of some parts of FUTO land took 16 years for it to come to fruition.
