Benjamin Nworie in Abakaliki
The Ebonyi State Government has demolished 30 unapproved shops beside the central park axis of the new Centenary City in the State.
Speaking to journalists during the demolition exercise, the Commissioner for Capital City Development, Mr. Sunday Inyima, said that the owners of the illegal structures were properly notified before the action was taken.
He noted that the shops were built along service lane, which was against the master plan of the new city.
The commissioner also said that they would soon embark on the demolition of structures on water ways, shanties, containers and other illegal structures within the capital city.
“This place you’re seeing is a service lane and people started building shops here and we feel that it is not normal. Opposite here, you can see the international market where people can do their businesses.
“From our records, the owners did not secure any approval from the Ministry of Capital C.ity. In August 2023, we issued them ‘stop work and removal’ notice but as you can see, they couldn’t remove it and that is we are here to help them to remove it.
“The owners are known and some of them are not known. I don’t know all the owners but some people called when we wrote this thing and we actually told them that this is not proper that they should remove it, but to our greatest surprise, the structures are still here that’s why we’re here today, after a warning and notice we gave in August 2023, Inyima said
The commissioner, therefore, cautioned developers to ensure they get approval from the ministry before erecting any structure to avoid being demolished. ,
