Purported Revocation Of Certificate Of Occupancy Issued To Enyimba Economic City Development Company, A Brute Violation Of 1999 Constitution Of The Federal Republic Of Nigeria By Abia State Government.
Saturday (Afor) 07-03-2026.
In the 70s and 80s, Secondary School Students in Nigeria, especially those who offered Economics in West African Schools’ Certificate examination, had close ‘romance’ with a small book titled “O” Level Economics of West Africa, written by O. A. Lawal. The book was so concise and self-exolanatory that it was commonly referred to as ‘Economics Made Easy’ by many students of that era.
Through that book, especially on Factors of Production, almost all students of that epoch acquired the knowledge that Land was a major factor in production and development. Since then, that knowledge has never dwindled, rather it has continued to blossom. Development does not take place in the air. Land is an indispensable factor in development.
In 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended, the Drafters must have anticipated or envisaged that some State Governors might naturally be inclined to exhibit their reluctance and disbelief in the Nigerian Federation through the subterfuge of frustrating and impeding Federal Government’s projects in their States, hiding under the cover of Land Use Act stipulated in Section 315(5)(d) of the Constitution.
In order to make sure such unpatriotic Governors do not have their way, the Drafters meticulously enshrined in Section 5(3) of the Constitution a provision that restricts State Executive Powers, ensuring they do not impede Federal Authority, endanger Federal Assets or threaten the Nation’s existence. Section 5(3) ensures that while State Governors exercise their power(s), they must maintain continuity of the Federation. Accordingly, Executive Powers vested in a State Governor must not impede or prejudice the exercise of the Executive Powers of the Federal Government.
On the 7th of December, 2018, a definitive Public Private Partnership Agreement was signed amongst the trio of Federal Government of Nigeria, Abia State Government, and Enyimba Economic City Development Company, with Crown Realities PLC, as a Private Sector Partner. That agreement involved the Nigerian Special Economic Zones’ Investment Company, representing the Federal Government of Nigeria.
Between 2019 and 2021, unrelenting concerted efforts and investment drives gave rise to securing the required Free Trade Zone License(s), and Developers’ Agreement.
The whole essence of the engagement(s) of Enyimba Economic City Development Company, the Abia State Government, and the Federal Government of Nigeria, not excluding any relevant partner, was to create an Industrial Hub that was capable of creating thousands of both direct and indirect jobs, not only in Abia State but in the whole of South-East, South-South, and, of course, Nigeria.
The Free Trade Zone status of Enyimba Economic City is designed to stimulate economic and social development and growth through Manufacturing, Medical Tourism, Railways, Aviation, Development and, probably, Export of Skills. With Enyimba Economic City as a Free Trade Zone, South-East of Nigeria, like defunct Eastern Region of Nigeria under Dr M.I.Okpara as Premier, would record one of the fastest globally growing economies, with an unprecedented high Gross Domestic Product, GDP.
For the Free Trade Zone licenses to have been secured, and Developers’ Agreement signed, the Promoters of Enyimba Economic City Development Company had undergone many hurdles. They had sponsored many exploratory trips to many global Institutions, including the World Bank in Washington, D.C, and African Export-Import Bank in Cairo, Egypt where the President of the Bank, Professor Benedict Oramah was very helpful. In fact, in one of such trips, the late founder and Chairman of defunct Diamond Bank, a thriving Bank that was allegedly imprudently ruined by those who now want people to see them as ‘saints’, late Chief Pascal Dozie, was said to have fallen down on the staircase.
Except for a very parochial set of people, no one would ever imagine that the Trustes of the Board of Enyimba Economic City Development Company would contemplate embarking on development of the City without paying verifiable adequate compensation to the owners of 9,803 hectares of land acquired for that purpose in three Local Government Areas of Ugwunagbo, Ukwa-East and Ukwa-West. Even small-scale investors will not wish an unconducive environment to be created where they operate, much more an Organization that has invested Hundreds of Millions of Dollars on a project.
It is unfortunate, wicked, sadistic and inhuman that the present Labour Party Government in Abia State could unilaterally decide to revoke the Certificate of Occupancy issued to Enyimba Economic City Development Company. Even when the Company made relentless efforts, appealing to the State Government through highly respected Nigerians like former President Olusegun Obasanjo, GCFR, former Secretary-General of the Common Wealth, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, GCON, the Obi of Onitsha, His Royal Majesty, Igwe Nnaemeka Alfred Achebe, CFR, the immediate late President-General of Ohaneze Nd’Igbo World- Wide, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, CFR, and many others, the State Government heartlessly refused to have a rethink. The Government was so insensitive and inconsiderate that it did not bother to know if the drivers of the project had borrowed so much money that truncating such a big project could lead to heart attacks and sudden deaths!
However, there is good news! Though a 3-Man Arbitration Panel had minor discrepancies in her Arbitration on the said ‘Revocation’, two, ‘who knows if water did pass under the bridge’, giving a majority ruling, and one giving a dissenting opinion, the three were unanimous in their ruling that Abia State Government has no constitutional right to revoke the Certificate of Occupancy duly issued to Enyimba Economic City Development Company.
Equity Global Reporters Ltd honestly calls on the Labour Party Government of Abia State to have a rethink and reissue the Certificate of Occupancy to Enyimba Economic City Development Company.
This piece of advice is premised on the following realities;
(1) Government is a continuum,
(2) Enyimba Economic City, as a Free Trade Zone, will guarantee a very fast, healthy and sustainable economy in the Zone,
(3) Abia Industrial & Innovation Park brought in by the present Labour Government as an alternative has failed to take off long after it was flagged off, and majority of land owners are yet to be paid compensation,
(4) Abia State Government should not transfer the hatred it has against former Governor Okezie Ikpeazu to the Chief Promoter of Enyimba Economic City Development Company, and
(5) That constituting an impediment to Enyimba Economic City Development Company is tantamount to expressing open resentment towards the corporate existence of the Nigerian State.
May good reasoning and positive attitude towards governance, instead of the present inclination to acrimony, vindictiveness and vendetta, prevail in Abia State.
Sir Don Ubani is a former Commissioner for Information and Strategy in Abia State, and Publisher of Equity Global Reporters Ltd.
