The committee comprises representatives of the University and its two host communities – Ndufu-Alike and Edufu-Echara Autonomous Communities in the Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.
Nwachukwu said the move was to foster peaceful coexistence and enhance mutual understanding between the institution and the people whose ancestral lands host the University.
The VC listed the terms of reference to include: identifying the original landowners, reviewing existing arrangements before government takeover, initiating compensation with the Ebonyi State Government, and facilitating resettlement for affected landowners.
Other mandates, he said, include promoting cordial relations between the University and landowners, and addressing other land-related issues within and around the University community.
He urged members to discharge their duties with ‘sincerity, fairness, and a strong sense of responsibility.’
‘Peaceful coexistence between the University and our host communities is crucial for the growth and stability of AE-FUNAI. Management remains committed to constructive dialogue and addressing all legitimate concerns through mutual understanding,’ Nwachukwu said.
University representatives on the committee are Prof Celestine Afiukwa, Prof Romanus Ejega, QS Chidi Ukwuoma, Prof Arthur Nwachukwu, Dr Onyekachi Eni, and Mr Justin Azahan.
The host communities are represented by Prof Agabus C. Nwuzo, Mr Ifeanyi Elom, Arc Okeh Shadrach, and Mr Odum Paul Oche Ifeanyi.
Chairman of the Committee, Prof Afiukwa, thanked the University Management and community leaders for the confidence reposed in the members.
He described the assignment as one that ‘touches the very foundation on which this institution stands, as well as the people whose land made that foundation possible.’
Afiukwa pledged that the committee would handle land and compensation matters with transparency, fairness and urgency.
‘We recognize the considerable responsibility placed on us and the expectations from both the University and the host communities,’ he said, assuring that members would leverage their experience to fulfil the mandate.
The inauguration is expected to provide a structured platform for dialogue, reconciliation and resolution of lingering land concerns, thereby strengthening the bond between AE-FUNAI and its host communities.