Residents of Aco Estate along the Airport Road in Abuja on Saturday barricaded the living Quarters of a Chinese Quarry Company, Dai Jin Jia to protest the continuous blasting activity by the company despite their commitment to the Federal Capital Territory Commissioner of Police that they will cease blasting activities pending a a mutual agreement between the company and residents of the estate.
The chairman of the Estate Association, Sunny Kulutuye who led landlords and residents of the Estate on the Protest said the resumption of the blast activities by the Chinese Company was in violation of the commitment the company had given to the Commissioner of Police of the FCT and will further endanger buildings in the estate, 80% of which he claimed their integrity have been compromised by the blasting.
The Commissioner of Police of the FCT had brokered a meeting between representatives of the Chinese Company and Residents of the Estate two weeks ago, where it was agreed that the company should meet with residents of the estate to work out an agreeable solution to the damage being done to the buildings as a result of the blasting.
According to Mr Kulutuye, the Chinese Company unilaterally resumed blasting at the Quarry without recourse to residents, claiming that the Commissioner of police had given them the go ahead to commence blasting at the Quarry.
He said when he confronted the Divisional Police Office of Lugbe police station who facilitated the meeting between Aco Residents, the Chinese Company and the Commissioner of Police on the claim of the Chinese Company, the DPO denied knowledge of the Commissioner of police’s approval.
Addressing the Press during the protest, the Chairman of the Estate Association, Mr Sunny Kulutuye said the protest will continue until action is taken by the company to protect the Houses in the Estate from the effects of the Blasting.
He said several Houses have developed cracks as a result of the blasting while a newly installed POP ceiling in one of the houses in the Estate collapsed from the effects of the blast.
“We have been protesting since last year, the activities of the Chinese Company. Most Houses have developed cracks and the more we repair, the worst they become because of the continuous blasting. On the 27th of Feb, the only son of one man was killed as a result of the blast. We have written letters to the Ministers of Solid Mineral Development, and the FCT; AMAC Chairman, the Inspector General of Police and the Commissioner of police, FCT .
“Last week, the Commissioner of Police invited us and the Chinese Company and directed them to stop blasting until there is a resolution with the residents. Because of that directive from the FCT Commissioner of police, we had to suspend our protest.
“Two days ago, they started blasting on a scale that was higher than what they had been doing. We drove to their site and confronted them. They claimed that the commissioner of police asked them to commence blasting. I called the DPO Lugbe and he said he was not aware that the Commissioner of police had given the company the go ahead to blast. We have not heard from the Commissioner of police. We have come here to let them know that since they have declared that they are our enemies, we do not want to see any Chinese man in this estate because our houses are falling. Let me tell you this, if integrity tests are conducted on the houses in this estate, over 80% of the Houses will not pass the test. We want them to stop blasting and leave us in this Estate. We will continue to barricade the road so that they cannot sell their products. We will continue this protest until we are heard. We want to hear from the commissioner of police whether truly he gave them the approval to continue blasting” he said.
Efforts to speak with the Chinese Company failed as none of their staff was willing to speak on the matter.