Anambra Govt warns criminal elements threatening to demolish buildings under construction

Anambra State Government has warned criminal elements purportedly moving around the state, pasting demand notices and threatening to demolish people's building on grounds of non-settlement.

This came on the hills of reports that some individuals claiming to be members of the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN), were allegedly issuing demand notices to unsuspecting members of the public and collecting huge sums of money.

But addressing the matter during a Joint Taskforce enforcement exercise in Abatete, Uke and Umuoji communities in Idemili North Local Government Area, the Chairman and Managing Director, Anambra State Physical Planning Board (ANSPPB), Barr Chike Maduekwe said only his board and Awka Capital Territory Development Authority (ACTDA) are the two agencies empowered by Anambra law to do physical planning and development in the state.

He said while ACTDA enforces development within the Awka capital territory, his board (ANSPPB) is in charge of development across other parts of the state, adding that any other agency apart from these are Interloper criminals and should be treated as such.

"Please don't be confused. If you want to erect a building within Awka Capital Territory, approach ACTDA, but if its in the rest of the state, come the Physical Planning. Any other person that comes, its not just an Interloper, the person has criminal intentions.

"Happily, yesterday i recieved a disclaimer from the chairman of COREN that they dont know anything about it. But we will investigate it because there is also some telephone numbers on it.

"There is another agency that works with us called Anambra State Material Testing Laboratory, the law requires that if you start a building above two floor, you do non-destructive test and soil test as part of documentations required for issuance of development permit.

"But any other agency validating buildings and threatening with demolition, arrest them and bring them to us or you report them to us and we will ensure that they face the full wrath of the law."

Barr Maduekwe further reiterated the board's commitment towards ensuring that quiality buildings are erected in the State.

He charged developers to take advantage of the window opened for Operation Show Your Building Permit, between August 1 to October 31, to revalidate their building plans under construction and new ones, approved.

"The only remedy for developers of buildings under construction, is to bring their documentation for the building to ensure that they did the right foundation, we will waive penalty. If it is approvable, we will approve but if its not, will be treated as an illegal structure meant for demolition.

"But after the grace period, approvable buildings will incur penalty and the builder will be charged to court for building an illegal structure."

Barr Maduekwe noted that the enforcement exercise is aimed at addressing the rising incidence of illegal structures and building collapse in the state.

At various locations in Idemili North Local Government Area, the task force discovered several buildings constructed without the necessary approvals even though the owners of these buildings were issued notices of violation and given a deadline to rectify the situation or face demolition.###