Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Pastor Umo Eno has warned individuals and groups that hurriedly and indiscriminately erect illegal structures on roadsides just to get compensation from the state government.
He added that such illegal structures obstruct development projects and would not be encouraged.
Addressing a congregation in his hometown during a thanksgiving, in Ikot Ekpene Udo, Nsit Ubium Local Government Area of the State, the governor stressed that his administration would only pay compensation on duly certified structures.
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Governor Eno, who faulted the indiscriminate upsurge of unwarranted structures on roadsides of the community, described the act as anti-development borne out of greed to rob the government of funds, and ordered owners of the unsolicited buildings to dismantle them with immediate effect.
“Please, to those of you who have heard me say that we are going to construct roads, thank God our traditional rulers and the village heads of these communities are here.
“I want to use this occasion to appeal to all those raising illegal structures by the road with the hope of getting compensation to please desist from such actions.
“This is a very serious warning; if we come with a project to your community and you obstruct it because of compensation, we will leave and take the project to another community.
“I will not struggle to help the people of the community. If we come to your local government, village, or community for development, you should receive and encourage us. We are prepared to develop the rural areas. We are prepared to work but let it be that when we come, we don’t meet resistance in any form.
“It is not out of place to pay compensation for the old existing structures but for the hurriedly constructed buildings we will not pay”, he warned.
The governor also directed local government council chairmen across the state to make available hundred hectares of land in their domains for development projects, explaining that the move is to enable his administration to take development to the grassroots as enunciated in the A.R.I.S.E. agenda of his administration.
He expressed appreciation to the people for the support given to him that saw to his emergence as governor in the last general elections and particularly commended the church for coming together with other denominations to thank God for his success at the polls.
“This is only an opportunity. I may not be able to go round all churches one by one, but that does not mean I won’t honour your invitation when necessary,” he said.
Preaching on the theme “A Man After God’s Heart” the Area Superintendent of the Church, Apostle E.E. Inyang, who culled his message from Acts 13 verse 17- 22 and 1st Samuel 16:3,13 admonished that a man after God’s heart is diligent in his ways, humble in the Lord, and depends fully on God, adding that such a man who is led by the spirit of God enjoys favour, protection, blessing, does not stop his journey halfway, and is compassionate and generous to the less privileged.
