- 200 More Buildings To Be Affected
- Victims React
BY JOEL GRANDBALL/JERRY OMOKRI/UGHELLI
THE Delta State Government has demolished three buildings belonging to the Commissioner representing Isoko ethnic nationality in the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC), Hon. Victor Egbo, and a mini estate belonging to one Engr. Osas Osaretin in Ughelli.
The buildings were on a water canal thereby obstructing water flow in the area.
The demolition, supervised by the State Director of Special Duties and Chairman, Task Force on Recovery of Government Lands, Chief Frank Omare was successful despite initial obstacles.
Speaking during the exercise, Frank Omare disclosed that over 200 houses built on waterways in Ughelli North have been marked for demolition for the period the exercise will last in the local government area.
He said: “I don’t know, as Nigerians, when it will be convenient to respect the law as sentiments have been reigning here and blackmailers are on the prowl.
“Why would anybody build on water channels and for anyone to do that, it is an offence but my joy is that officials from the Urban Renewal Ministry, the APO 1 and APO 2 are here to guide us.
“In Ughelli, I am so surprised when over 200 houses are standingt on water canal and I am happy that a serving government official in this state was the first victim this morning among persons as old as 70 years.
“I have discussed with officials from the Urban Renewal Ministry and they will serve anybody whose building are on the water canal around Ughelli, so they would not say they were not served the notice. “We have spent so much money as government to clear drains so that when the rain comes, people and their properties would not be affected by over flow of water as we cannot be doing same thing every year.
“The governor of Delta State, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori has a clear calls and Ughelli is like a call out where the canals are connecting and you see canals a dustbin.
“There is impunity, of am a community leader, youth leader and some kind of funny stories that, I must give them money before I will work, I want to see that person.
“We have been here for over a week and If I was selective, I would have exonerated the commissioner’s houses but I said no, the house must go down and we did pull them down.
“This is just the beginning and I will spend nearly two months here and I want the APOs to properly served all the house owners so that nobody will not say I wasn’t informed.
“We are not reckless government but a responsible one that is doing the work. Because of the way the houses are being built, the roads will get destroyed in few years as the water is passing to nowhere.
“This exercise is not a PDP, APC or Labour Party affairs neither a Muslim or Christian and if your house is on a canal, it will come down and I want to tell Ughelli people that they should not allow anyone to use them.
“It is important that we should do the right thing and we are very serious about it and those that built their houses on water channels in Ughelli, should remove their properties before we visit them as we will not hear please.
“We are aware of some obstacles of blackmail, misinformation targeted to destroy the image of the government, but very good enough, those are just 20 percent while the remaining 80 percent are applauding the state governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori for his boldness.
“Some people will cry, some will praise, some will be happy and sad but it is important that we are doing the right thing at the right time.
“The whole of Delta State is the governor constituency and we are aware that some people brought out gun to kill and the security agencies are handling the matter currently”
Also speaking, the Area Planning Officer 1, Ughelli North, Mr. Sylvester Eruvwedede said,:“What we are seeing today is the effort from the state government on how to sanitize our society to have a very decent community in respect to issues that has to border on flooding that affects our people.
“Some of the house owners given approval to develop their property did not develop according to what was approved and that is violation of the approval and illegality.
“The Commissioner’s building that was brought down was sitting on the canal and they have to be removed as we have a public interest that supersede a personal interest.
Eruvwedede, who denied any form of sharp practices among official of the ministry held that any approval being convey ought to go with field inspection by the officer that gave that approval or it might be a misconception by those that were on ground as it could be they did not visit the site to know what is on ground before the approval was conveyed.
Reacting to the demolition of his buildings, the Commissioner representing Isoko ethnic nationality at the board of DESOPADEC, Hon Victor Egbo said: “As at today our call to duty is to serve humanity and this is part of the services we are rendering to the people in making them to be comfortable and be happy.
“It is not the responsibility of the governor alone to look after the well-being of the people but those who have been appointed as members of his cabinet to also contribute their quota to humanity and this is my contribution.
“Contributing part of my land and properties for the water to flow is a huge contribution I have given to humanity and the development of our dear state and think the people are happy about it as their not no more water disturbances.”
