- We gave notification, paid compensation -Enugu Govt
Workers of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) on Tuesday issued a seven-day ultimatum to Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State to negotiate with them on how to replace all the property illegally demolished.
They threatened to sue the government if the governor fails to accede to their demands.
The workers, who staged a peaceful protest to register their displeasure, claimed that over N21 billion worth of their property and equipment have been destroyed, and they include offices, staff quarters, training school and workshops.
The workers alleged that what irked them the most was that the government did the demolition without providing an alternative place for the staff who are now homeless, describing it as gross human rights violation.
The workers who carried placards and chanted labour solidarity songs marched through the site where the staff quarters, workshops and training school were once located.
Addressing journalists at the site of the demolished properties, the President-General of Nigerian Union of Railway Workers, Comrade Innocent Luka Ajiji, described the demolition as outrageous and unacceptable, adding that the government carried out the exercise with impunity.
Ajiji said that the state government didn’t negotiate with the Railway Management or the workers’ unions.
He said: “We are here in Enugu today to protest over the demolition of our properties by Enugu State government. We have properties all over Nigeria and if there is need for government investment on our property, there are due processes.
“But Enugu State government on a fateful day on Sunday came with bulldozers and started bulldozing our structures. Ten of our flats were affected in that demolition where people were living.
“We have a traffic training school that was demolished; we have a carriage and wagon workshop that was demolished; we also have a whole training school of the Civil Engineering Department that was also demolished, alongside 10 three-bedroom flats that railway workers and some retirees occupied.
“We found this as totally unacceptable to us and that is why we came. These houses are on litigation because we won them (railway management) at the Industrial Court and the judgement said those houses should be sold to us.
“Railway management and Federal Government now took us to court, so Enugu government doesn’t have the right to come and tamper with those structures until the determination of the court judgement.
“Enugu State government didn’t take all those things into cognizance and went ahead to tamper with those property that are already covered by litigation. That is unacceptable to us.”
On the claims by the State Government that it had memorandum of understanding with the railway property company over the demolished property and that it had paid compensation to the railway property company, the railways workers’ president said it was completely false, asking the government to show evidence and who they paid the money to.
On the purported compensation, he said, “If they are compensating the Nigerian Railway that is their business. But the Railway Property Company is a subsidiary of the Nigerian Railway Corporation, and they manage our property. So, whom did they discuss the compensation with?”
Also speaking, President-General, Senior Staff Association NRC, Comrade Emeka Okeke, condemned the demolition.
He said, “The issues about MoU and compensations are all lies. We have made our inquiries and all our people said they didn’t know anything about the demolition. As far as they didn’t meet us, we don’t believe they met anybody.”
Our Correspondent reports that Governor Peter Mbah’s administration began the demolition of properties for the proposed Enugu Central Station, penultimate Friday.
The State Government had demolished Our Saviour Institute of Science, Agriculture and Technology (OSISATECH) College of Education and Oha Micro-Finance Bank, ECOBANK Ogbete Main Market Branch, First City Monument Bank (FCMB) Ogbete Main Market Branch.
Although, several occupants had since gone to court with some obtaining judgement against the state government, Mbah administration said the state had a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Railway Property management who leased the property to the occupants.
The administration also claimed that the government had paid compensation to the Railway Property and some occupants.
Mbah’s administration had claimed prior to the demolition that it had successfully relocated the occupants of the property within the 30 hectares of the land, including various businesses and banks, after compensations were allegedly “duly paid” to the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), owners of the land, to give way for the modern transport interchange or bus station at the place otherwise known as motor parks.
The state commissioner for transportation, Dr. Obi Ozor, had, while briefing reporters on the project, said the proposed site for the Enugu Central Station is a dual terminal that will focus on inter-state transportation for terminal 1, and intra-city transportation for terminal 2.
“The land here is owned by the Nigerian Railway Corporation and leased to 29 key legal tenants to the NRC on an average of 10- to 25-year leases.
“Enugu State Government has reached an agreement with the NRC and the Federal Ministry of Transportation to lease this place for the construction of the proposed terminal.
“The government has paid compensation to all legal occupants except a few others who are yet to send their details to the government.
“Then, notices were given on 13th of October, 2023 and seven months after, the government has come in to clear the place for the commencement of the terminal.
“We hope that the work will commence this month. We have a total of four terminals one each in Enugu, Abakpa, Gariki and Nsukka; while the phase two will involve places like 9th Mile,” Ozor explained.
