From Gordi Udeajah, Umuahia



GOVERNOR Theodore Orji of Abia State has declared 70 per cent of structures erected in Aba, the commercial hub of the state, as illegal.


Orji said on Monday that his government was set to address the malady without minding the consequences.


Recently, a task force headed by the Security Adviser to the Governor, Captain Udonsi Awa (rtd), demolished some illegal structures in the state. The task force will also review the conversion of unauthorised areas and buildings into motor parks, shops and markets and compel the culprits to move into designated areas.


Orji spoke when members of the Aba Global System of Mobil Communications (GSM) Association paid him a visit to solicit for his assistance to have a GSM Plaza.


The governor lamented that all efforts made by the government to sanitise Aba had failed because of the attitude of the residents who are mostly traders.


He said: "I will be failing in my duties if I do not return Aba to its old glory. Things have to be corrected and we will not get tired of having illegal premises locked up or demolished. When the right business and orderly environment is put in place like the government is striving to do, investors will come".


The group's leader and Managing Director of Mckings Systems Ltd, Mr. Marcel Ezeh, said: "We have come to thank you for the enabling environment created by your government for business to thrive and the checking of kidnapping. We are pleased to observe that the environmental task force is at work in Aba, demolishing illegally erected structures and opening up blocked gutters and drainages".


He, however, told Orji that "while the task force should pursue its assignment relentlessly, your government should please set up a committee to advise on the immediate creation of alternative business settlements for artisans, traders and craftsmen, who are being displaced".

http://odili.net/news/source/2011/aug/17/18.html

This seems to be becoming the latest trend in Nigeria.

Sun of god:

This seems to be becoming the latest trend in Nigeria.

Yes it is. Thats because many state government are begining to wake up to their responsibilities. These structures were allowed to spring up by corrupt and inept administrators and local govt chairmen. Structural development will never happen if they don't knock down these illegal structures. The question we should be asking the Abia leader is; why did it take his administration this long to act?

Pls u pple shld nt b carried by his inceasant noise makin,wat hapund 2 s previous tenure? Enough of d stories pls

Nigeria I hail thee!

It is only in Nigeria that illegal structures built on drainages and parks
as the Governor is saying today will suddenly become legal structures
after the owners have been milked of hard earned money.

It is shameful that this is happening over and over again.
When gov't is broke, illegal structures appear!

70% ?
Ibo kwenu !

, this Governor wants to play with his future, you have rightly recognized that almost all these structures are owned by TRADERS who do not take it lightly with anyone toying with their business.

On a serious note, I would think that if 70% of your city is illegal buildings and you have a predominantly illiterate trader population that does not recognise the need for proper city planning, instead of trying to destroy the entire 70% cant there be a way to work around and adjust the city plan to accommodate these illegalities. The goverment would only then destroy buildings that cannot be accommodated in anyway. That way less problems are created between the governor and his people.

I no be CIty Planner but, I think that should be the way forward.

nigerhead:

, this Governor wants to play with his future, you have rightly recognized that almost all these structures are owned by TRADERS who do not take it lightly with anyone toying with their business.

On a serious note, I would think that if 70% of your city is illegal buildings and you have a predominantly illiterate trader population that does not recognise the need for proper city planning, instead of trying to destroy the entire 70% cant there be a way to work around and adjust the city plan to accommodate these illegalities. The goverment would only then destroy buildings that cannot be accommodated in anyway. That way less problems are created between the governor and his people.

I no be CIty Planner but, I think that should be the way forward.

Thank you bros.By 2007 when Amaechi came in PH would be like 80% illegal structures but he was able to modify and accomodate majority while demolishing the inevitable ones.Orji is not a wise man and I suspect the move might be as political as his God father Kalu.

70% to be dimolished, then where the occupants will live? any choice for them?

^^^Dont mind that agent of satan in that devil's playground.

Its another extortion exercise.
Nothing will change.
Everyday we hear a different version of the same nonsense from the dumps.

Abagworo, why aren't you say orji is ethnically bias?

~Bluetooth:

70% ?
Ibo kwenu !

IGBO you du.mb 4ck.

Governor DO-NOTHING , Ineptitude is his middle name, his state is crumbling under the weigth of non performance. Shame on you Orji and your ilks in thievery.

on the Abuja thread, the demolition of illegal structures was blamed on igbo marginalization and ethnic bias as usual.

so is Orji also trying to marginalize poor defenseless igbos?

In as much as i am not in support of illegal structures ,but i think Orji is waking up late.

He should find a way to appraoch this,if not there will be an uproar in that town ,which he might not be able to contain .

I was born in that town and i grew up there , YOU DONT PLAY WITH THOSE TRADERS, there thinking and reasoning is quite different.

Hope he achieves his plans ,

Enyimba enyi!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

i feel sorry for some people there. In osun state, Oshogbo to be precise I was a boarder at one high school, the government announced that their buildings are illegal and on governmnet lands. People were huffing and puffing that na their granpapa own am, documents and family history were all being emphasized for ownership. The governmnet did not make a sound. By the time i reached ss2. Masked men in bulldozers must have cleared about 1000 houses and shops in oshogbo that week. It was so surreal how the street was destroyed and quiet as we marched to chapel on sunday. But i saw the sense when the government built an aerodome, ringroad and bigger roads in that city few months later

plz my dear friends, dont mind dis big 4 noting, blood thirsty dragula, idiotic governor T.a orji who doesnt knw , hw 2 solve d problems of his people. He said 80% of land owners in aba re illegal, What he is trying 2 do is 2 acquire 40 to 50% of d lands and property in aba. D way he has acquired lands and properties wit his sons in state capital umuahia. Aba is a big commercial city, and wat he said currently was dat he is going 2 deal wit aba bc dey throw pure water satchet and mocked at him dat he was a kidnapper when our president Goodluck jonthan was campaigning in enyimba stadium during his elction. D mumu GOV, T.A ORJI has threaten to deal wit aba 4 d disgrace showered upon him. He has filled aba wit illetrates taskforce of many kind. As am telling u people nw, d AGBOROs we normally call dem in ibo land has power more dan d police people. T.a orji has noting 2 offer 2 abians. abia state name has changed frm Gods own state to= STATE swimming in bondage, Abeg fellow nairalands mak una pray 4 abians, (NB) MAK I use dis opporunity 2 thank d millatry Col, dat deal wit Gov son, by beating up d guy 2 coma, abeg u hv done well, Next time if he comes 2 buy anytin 4 supermarket, he woundnt chase people away 4 he doestnt knw who is who. plz my dear friends, dont mind dis big 4 noting, blood thirsty dragula, idiotic governor T.a orji who doesnt knw , hw 2 solve d problems of his people. He said 80% of land owners in aba re illegal, What he is trying 2 do is 2 acquire 40 to 50% of d lands and property in aba. D way he has acquired lands and properties wit his sons in state capital umuahia. Aba is a big commercial city, and wat he said currently was dat he is going 2 deal wit aba bc dey throw pure water satchet and mocked at him dat he was a kidnapper when our president Goodluck jonthan was campaigning in enyimba stadium during his elction. D mumu GOV, T.A ORJI has threaten to deal wit aba 4 d disgrace showered upon him. He has filled aba wit illetrates taskforce of many kind. As am telling u people nw, d AGBOROs we normally call dem in ibo land has power more dan d police people. T.a orji has noting 2 offer 2 abians. abia state name has changed frm Gods own state to= STATE swimming in bondage, Abeg fellow nairalands mak una pray 4 abians, (NB) MAK I use dis opporunity 2 thank d millatry Col, dat deal wit Gov son, by beating up d guy 2 coma, abeg u hv done well, Next time if he comes 2 buy anytin 4 supermarket, he woundnt chase people away 4 he doestnt knw who is who.