Anambra State Joint Enforcement Taskforce on Wednesday, pulled down more ongoing illegal structures and shops in Onitsha and Oyi Council Areas of the State, in continuation of its development control efforts.
The demolished structures include an attachment to an already existing building at Marine market, Anambra State Onitsha, where the developer was warned several times to stop but he was adamant, as well as lock-up shops attached in front of existing buildings at Ose Market road, Onitsha.
The team also executed actions at Azu Ogbunike-Oze-Nkwelle Ezunaka where youths of Ogbunike, on the pretext of doing a drainage, blocked a major waterway and shortened the size of the road to get lands on the other side of the area to sell.
The structures also blocked the original waterways, causing high rate of erosion and destruction of properties in the area.
There were also demolition of fences and structures on a long stretch along the Airport road, where government had acquired 50 meters on both sides of the road to make it a boulevard where trees will be planted.
Speaking after the exercise, the leader of the Taskforce, Barr. Chike Mmaduekwe regretted that the impunity in the building industry is the same everywhere, where people build without approvals.
According to him, this development is totally unacceptable to the state administration under Governor Chukwuma Soludo, who wants to build a liveable and prosperous smart mega city.
“Mr Governor has made it clear that he was a clean, green and sustainable Anambra, and that’s why we have stepped up development control activities.
“The challenge in the state is that there is so much impunity but we want to make sure that anybody who builds in places where they are not authorized, are held accountable,” he said.
Maduekwe also frowned at the activities of youths who encroach on government-acquired land, perpetrating all manner of illegalities and putting people’s lives and property in jeopardy.
According to him, Anambra government has plans for the development of many parts of the state and any such encroachment will amount to disrupting government developmental plans.
Maduekwe further went ahead to appeal to the wealthy developers in the state to support the government in its efforts at building a liveable and prosperous homeland and not causing structural breaches.
He maintained that the practice of wealthy individuals taking laws into their own hands by building on unapproved places, is anti-development.
He said; “The reason for the existence of government is to provide for the welfare of everybody especially the weak ones.
“So, when you go, because you have a deep pocket, and block drainages, causing flooding that destroys human lives and property, we will not tolerate it.
“So let them stop. But if they fail to do so, we will ensure that any such developer is made to face the full embrace of the law.
“Secondly, we will also begin to charge them to court, because that is what the law says.
”All these enforcements cost a lot of money and when we warn you at the beginning and you go ahead to develop, when we eventually bring it down, you will pay for the cost.”
On his part, Chief Raymond Edozie, who is a landlord in the area, expressed sadness over how people erect unapproved structures around the area, intimidating and threatening whoever dares talk to them, commending the government for coming to the people’s rescue.
