The chief executive officer, Breathe Restaurant and Lounge in Enugu, Ikechukwu Okeke, has accused the Enugu State Capital Territory Development Authority (ECTDA) of alleged abuse of office over the demolition of his multi-billion naira restaurant.
The restaurant building situated on Independence Layout, was demolished on Thursday last week by ECTDA, citing lack of title documents, fraudulent submission of Certificate of Occupancy (C-of-O), construction of more buildings than were approved, change of purpose of building permit without approval, among other infractions, as the reasons for the exercise.
But, in a statement sent to LEADERSHIP, Okeke said the demolition of his building as directed by the Director of ECTDA, Chief Uche Anya, after complying with all the laid down rules and extant laws regarding the setting up of the Lounge in the environment, was an abuse of office.
“The intimidation and frustration of business by Enugu State Government has gone into overdrive as the Director, ECTDA, Chief Uche Anya, singlehandedly ordered the demolition of approved Breathe Restaurant and Lounge situated at 100A Independence Avenue, Independence Layout, Enugu in a display of abuse of office.
“The cost that has been lost due to the uninformed demolition of our approved business location runs into billions aside the youths that work in the restaurant who are expected to lose their source of livelihood. Incidentally, Governor Peter Mbah was elected on the premise that he was going to make business flourish in Enugu, why then would he allow any of his appointees to derail his agenda because of a personal and selfish interest?” he asked.
Okeke further informed LEADERSHIP that he had complied with all the laid down rules and extant laws regarding the setting up of the lounge at the location even as the structure was approved by the requisite state Agency.
“It is interesting to note that there are other clubs and lounges in this particular area and so what is the offence of the owners of Breathe Restaurant? These are questions that need answers especially as Nigeria is currently struggling with a raging inflation and economic hardship.
“The Governor should show interest in this issue because if there is no personal interest, no one should deliberately want to truncate the lifespan of a thriving business,” he stated.
However, when contacted, the director of ECTDA, Chief Uche Anya, told LEADERSHIP that the owner of the demolished Restaurant secured a fraudulent approval by using a title deed of another location.
He explained further that the Enugu State government withdrew the approval of the lounge because it breached the master plan of the state capital city.
“Everything about that so-called restaurant is a product of fraud on our master plan. He got whatever approval he parades by using the title deed of a different location.
“In Enugu, we have a place called Government Reserved Area (GRA), he used the title deed of land there to get approval to build whatever he said he has built in Independence Layout behind the Government House. The approval he got was for residential purpose, he once turned the place into beer parlour and lounge. Building against the fence of his neighbour and they play live band music from 4pm till 5am.
“Before I came into the office, the secretary to the government was already handling a complaint from the neighbourhood. I happened to live in the neighbourhood. So, when I returned to Enugu, they came to my office. The Commissioner of Tourism, Mrs. Ugochi Madueke, arranged to come and see me, they said they are the owner of the lounge and I said that lounge that plays from 4pm to 5am. That the place is a residential place and we would like to see their title and approved plan.
“When they brought it, we told them that the approval was for residential, one house, and one security house, then in bracket one restaurant, that means you can do your restaurant inside but there is no provision for all these you’re doing. Stop playing live music, do acoustic in your restaurant, and take the music in. They continued as they were assured that nothing will happen,” Anya stated.
