Enugu: Ugwuanyi intervenes as communities, investors bicker over compensations

Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State, has called for an amicable resolution of the crisis between San Carlos Pineapple Farms and the host communities in the state.

Ugwuanyi made the call on Tuesday during a visit to one of the communities in Awgu Local Government Area of the state that donated part of the 3,400 hectares of the pineapple farm.

The governor ordered the chairman of Awgu local government area, Mr Mathanus Nze, to mobilise opinion leaders in the communities to interface with the management of the farm.

“You have to ensure that parties in this dispute are brought together to agree on the terms of the expected social responsibility of the investors to the people of the area”, he said.

He said there was need for a peaceful atmosphere for the investors to get the best of their investment, adding that meaningful development would not occur in an atmosphere of acrimony.

It was reported that the six communities that donated the land for the farm had staged peaceful demonstrations over non-payment of compensation for it.

The six communities cut across Awgu, Oji River and Udi Local Government areas of the state.

The immediate past administration in the state had set up a committee to enumerate the crops in the farms and work out compensation to be paid to host communities.

The crisis escalated when government said the committee did not do a thorough job.

In a related development, Ugwuanyi has ordered the General Manager of Enugu State Transport Company (ENTRACO), Mr Okey Mba, to release all vehicles confiscated by the agency.