Abia Govt To Demolish Structures On Public Property, Waterways

Abia State government is set to embark on demolishing of private structures erected on its property, waterways, and unauthorised places even as it has threatened to prosecute financiers of the structure.

Attorney-general and commissioner for justice of the state, Ikechukwu Uwanna, stated this at a joint press briefing with his information and culture counterpart, Okey Kanu, yesterday, in Umuahia, the state capital.

At the briefing, which was after this week’s executive council meeting, Uwanna said the demolition would be in line with extant laws on such structures which have been in existence since 1971.

He warned that, henceforth, buildings plans must be approved before erection as the government would not hesitate to demolish any structure that do not meet the standard.

According to the attorney-general and commissioner for justice: ”The era of building without approval or acquiring approval illegally by whosoever is gone and over in the state.”

“This administration is committed to ensuring orderliness in the way buildings are erected in the state as in every other aspects of activities.”

On his part, Kanu announced that Governor Alex Otti had directed the accountant-general of the state to commence the payment of April salaries to the civil servants this week.

He said this followed the ongoing verification of the civil servants which is almost completed, adding that the governor also directed the payment of June pension to pensioners.

Assuring that local government staff would received their own salaries at the completion of the verification, he restated the administration’s stand to settle all salaries and pension arrears before the year ends.