Ebonyi State Government has begun the demolition of illegal buildings and shanties in Abakaliki, the state capital on Thursday.
The state Commissioner, Ministry of Capital City Development, Hon. Inyima Sunday, said the demolition was part of the plan to give the state capital a befitting facelift.
The demolition exercise began from Hausa Quarters to Leech Street and Hilltop Junction at Water Works, where shanties were pulled down.
Addressing journalists, Commissioner Inyima stated that the State Metropolis is rapidly transforming into a city, hence the need to demolish illegal structures to preserve the city’s image.
He further revealed that notices and removal orders had been issued by successive administrations, including the current administration led by Rt. Hon. Francis Ogbonnaya Nwifuru.
According to him, “Notices had been given by successive administrations before the current administration of Rt. Hon. Francis Ogbonnaya Nwifuru.
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“When we came on board. And last year, around November, we issued notices and removal orders to all the owners of these batches and makeshift buildings, and by December, we repeated the reminder that they should remove them.”
“Abakaliki has grown into a metropolis like any other city, and we cannot continue to condone this.
“The flyover you are seeing here is a flyover from the government house and the road you are having here, takes you to Ebonyi State House of Assembly, we have a high-profile personality that visited the State and wants to go to the House of Assembly, will it be good to showcase batches along the road, no! That is why we insisted on their removal and we have come to help them remove it”, Inyima said.
