The Enugu State Housing Development Corporation (ESHDC), and the Okofia Ukana community in Udi Council Area, on Saturday, signed a partnership agreement for housing development in the community.

The partnership also entailed the signing deed of customary grant for the use of large expanse of the village land for new residential and commercial houses.

Mr Gerald Asogwa, the General Manager, ESHDC, and the Corporation’s Secretary, Dr Anayo Edeh, signed on behalf of the corporation while Mr Chijioke Achi, the Chairman of Okofia General Assembly (OGA) and the Village Secretary, Mr Chijioke Orji, signed on behalf of the community.

The ceremony which took place at the palace of the eldest man in Okofia, Chief Jeremiah Ebunyebe, was witnessed by the directors in the housing corporation as well as elders and men of Okofia community.

Asogwa said that the acquisition of the land in the community’s Achievers Layout would fast track the urban renewal programme of the state government.

He said that Gov. Peter Mbah had
planned to expand the Enugu city as the state capital was already filled up.

‘There is no way we will continue to restrict the city growth to the area it occupies today.

‘The Uwani area, developed years ago is already filled up, the same thing with the Independence Layout, the same thing with GRA.

‘What the Governor wants to do now is what other states have been doing such as Lagos state with its Garden Atlantic City or Epe/Lekki,’ he said.

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According to him, it is what a people do in a place that it becomes.

‘In the next couple of months that particular area which we call Blossom Garden Solar City, in which part of your land belongs, is going to have a new face like other major estates in the city,’ he said.

Asogwa thanked the leadership and people of Okofia on behalf of Gov. Mbah and promised that the decision it took to key into the trajectory of the governor would not be in vain.

‘We will develop that place and you people
are going to be proud of your decision,’ he said, adding that a road project had already begun to link the capital city to the estate up to the surounding villages.

He said such development would increase the value of the land, reduce travel time to the capital and open up the area for other investments.

The OGA chairman, Achi, said that with the signing ceremony the community had given the corporation authorisation to begin its renewal programme in the Achievers City Layout, Phase 1 covering a total of 800 plots.

Achi assured that both parties would keep to the terms of the agreement, saying that, ‘it is our desire that the corporation will execute the project satisfactorily.

‘We use this opportunity to thank the Enugu Gov. Mbah for bringing development to the rural community and for other department strides on various parts of the state.

‘We are satisfied with what he is doing in Enugu state as projects dot every corner of the state’.

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The chairman praised Mbah for restoring water supply in the state capital, and appealed to him to extend the water scheme to Ukana and other rural communities.

He also lauded the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Uche Ugwu, for being a true representative of the people and supporting the governor to enable him to realise his development agenda

Source: News Agency of Nigeria