.Indigenes of Ojeada, Umuda, Afadia, and other villages within Umuaji Quarters in Asaba, Oshimili South Local Government Area, have called on the Delta State Government to urgently intervene in an ongoing dispute over compensation payments linked to the Phase 2A internal road network of the 2nd Niger Bridge construction.
Speaking to journalists in Asaba, Obi Nduka Ogochukwu of Umuda village expressed dissatisfaction over the handling of compensation funds by the consulting firm, Odum O. Partners. He alleged that the consultant, Mr. Okechukwu Odum, claimed that the Asagba of Asaba, HRM Prof. Epiphany Azinge (SAN), had instructed that payments to Asaba claimants should be directed through him.
According to Obi Ogochukwu, this alleged arrangement was unacceptable, stressing that rightful property owners had submitted all required documentation and deserved direct payments without third-party interference. He also noted that in other affected communities such as Okwe, Okpanam, and Ibusa, compensations were paid directly to beneficiaries without complications.
Meanwhile, when reporters visited the palace of the Asagba of Asaba, the monarch’s representatives dismissed the claim as “false and malicious,” denying any involvement in the compensation disbursement process.
The dispute has further deepened following what community members described as contradictory statements from the consultant. While Mr. Odum had previously assured direct payments to affected individuals, residents now allege conflicting instructions.
The Umuaji community emphasized that they have patiently waited for compensation for over seven years and would not allow confusion to derail the good intentions of Delta State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, who they commended for prioritizing the project.
In an earlier protest to the office of the consultant, the affected residents decried the delay and alleged attempts to subvert due process. They have now appealed to the Delta State Command of the Department of State Services (DSS)—which has supervised previous rounds of compensation payments—to step in and investigate the matter.
The indigenes insist that compensation must be paid directly to property owners to ensure transparency and fairness in the process.
