BY BENSON OKOBI-ALLANAH
MANY people have backed the current demolition of buildings built on government lands, especially lands allocated to Dennis Osadebay University, at Anwai-Asaba, They say it is unfortunate that people allowed themselves to be held in tight corners and irreversible conditions due to their susceptible approach to things that otherwise call for thorough investigations.
Falling victims to antics of land speculators/ grabbers whose only genuine word in their deals is false claims, they say, is as a result of not treading cautiously by carrying out thorough investigation when dealing with these land thieves.
They, however, say their falling victims to such dubious land dealers was not enough for government taskforce to be demolishing buildings they built with their hard-earned monies, suggesting that what government ought to have done, is to seize such buildings built on their (government’s) lands. ‘’ There are better ways such actions by the taskforce members ought to have been carried out. One, they would have arranged to pay those whose houses were demolished some money even if not totaling the exact amount incurred in building them. Another is seizing such buildings and not demolishing them.
Those demolished buildings said to have been built on Dennis Osadebay University land would have been useful to the university authorities, like converting the beautiful hotel that was brought down to University Guest House, and others made to serve other purposes.
Now that there is dealt of infrastructures in many schools today, huge deficit of structures, all those demolished buildings could have been used as hostels, offices, lecture halls etc.
The taskforce members have set a bad precedent that must run through all government lands occupied illegally in the state. They cannot destroy buildings in Asaba, and go to other places to start tempering justice with mercy. The demolition must go round to avoid bringing in a feeling of injustice, bad blood, foul-play and impartiality. Though the same taskforce had said they would not leave any stone unturned in dealing with those who built on government lands.’’ Prince Ben OBCA Nwaobi-Okonya, General Manager/Editor-In-Chief of Nowadays Newspaper, advised.
Maxi Ckika Udemba lamenting over his demolished building, said he genuinely bought the land (so he thought) and never had any inkling to the fact that the seller was selling the land illegally to him. He said if he had known the land belonged to the Delta State government (Dennis Osadebay University) that he would have not ventured into buying it, lamenting thus: ‘’All I spent in buying the land, the huge amount of money I spent in building my one storey building, all almost amounting to over N500 million, just went down in a twinkle of an eye.’’
An hotelier at Area 74 near Dennis Osadebay University (DOU) had his three buildings in one row demolished. His storey building that used to house his hotel, the other two buildings that served as his family residence and his wife’s business empire, respectively. ‘’Not even a match box was spared in any of the buildings as both the buildings and all that belonged to me as property, that of my wife and our children, were demolished, forming this huge debris you are seeing.’’
Asked if he, like others whose buildings were demolished, did not get the notice of the demolition exercise on time to enable them evacuate their belongings, Maxi Udemba said he got the information but never knew government would carry out such dastardly act on them so soon.
Maxi Udemba said if government had asked them to forfeit the buildings that it would have been better than demolishing them in the name of having been built on government land.
Ebite Frank, a Public Affairs Analyst and Media Consultant, says in carrying out demolition of buildings on government lands built by illegal occupants, that the exercise should be wide-spread, not just concentrating on one area and leaving out others because what ‘A’ did that warranted the pulling down of its building was what ‘B’ did – that they all committed the same offence and as such there should not be any exemption. Some should not be made the scape goat, while others are freed for the same offence they all committed.
He says now that it has become obvious that the action by government amounts to outright demolition of buildings built on government lands, that anybody found culpable of the offence should be treated as other offenders, but says what the government taskforce on recovering illegally occupied lands ought to have done is seizing of the buildings rather than demolishing them.
‘’It is the same government that will be spending money to erect new structures for schools, hospitals and other offices. These demolished buildings would have been useful in one way or the other. There are many agencies; security outfits today that need such demolished buildings for office expansion, or temporary occupation as their official headquarters; yet the taskforce members went ahead demolishing the buildings. Seizing them from the owners who illegally built on government lands would have been the best option; but it will be most unfair to have some demolished and others still left standing when they all committed the same offence. The demolition should be allowed to go round the state. Authorities of Dennis Osadebay University which lands have been recovered should endeavor to have such lands developed, and not leaving them to lie fallow. There is a lot to be done with land in the university, yes, a lot to do with land.’’ Ebite Frank posited.
The Public Affairs Analyst and Media Consultant called on the taskforce members to be fair in their dealings by ensuring that there was no favouritism, injustice, compromise, intimidation, and oppression in carrying out the demolition exercise irrespective of whose ox is gored.
He says tongues have already started wagging that some people because of their positions in government might be spared from falling victim of the sledge hammer, and said should that be the case as already being alleged, that the taskforce should do everything necessary to see that they are not eventually found guilty of that because it will be so bad.
The Delta State Taskforce Chairman on demolishtion of illegal structure Chief Omare disclosed this while speaking with journalists during the exercise at Camp 74 in Asaba.
He said the retrieval was following a court order earlier issued to them, notifying them to evacuate the area, adding that it was not an impromptu action as many of them claimed.
Frowning at the reactions of the victims, he said it was an oftence for them to request for compensation as their acts was criminal and calls for punishment by the government.
He said they were meant to pay government for possession of the lands which they have occupied for years, since the inception of kefas, adding that they had enjoyed it during Ibori, Uduaghan, Okowa’s tenure.
Omare said the government is looking for the land grabbers and some of the leaders who had misinformed the victims in the state by stealing government lands and it as criminal.
While warning those in possession of government properties in asaba, Ughelli, warri, isoko, agbor, kwale, patani, Ibusa, and other parts of the state to steer clear, the Chairman said the demolition exercise will be extended to other parts of the state.
He said it was so sad the large number of government properties that have been claimed by land grabbers.
Omare said the demolition was not about the governor, Rt. Hon.Sheriff Oborevwori, himself did not target anybody but was the policy of the government.
He urged Deltans to always ask questions before they secure any land or property so as not to fall victim.
