Otti Moves To Give Umuahia Look Of A State Capital, Issues Deadline For Removal Of Illegal Attachments

The Abia State Government has given a two-week extra notice to residents of Umuahia, the state capital, to remove all extensions and illegal attachments to their buildings.

The state Commissioner for information, Okey Kanu, announced this on Monday while briefing journalists on the outcome of this week’s Executive Council meeting presided over by Governor Alex Otti.

He said the notice was part of efforts by the state government to give a human face to her determination to give the state capital a facelift in infrastructural development.

The commissioner pointed out that the state government will commence the full enforcement of the order, by removing the illegal structures at the expiration of the notice.

“The government had given enough time for the owners of the affected buildings to remove the extensions and attachments to their buildings. After the two weeks extra notice, the government will not have other options than to embark on the enforcement of the order.

“We want to urge the house owners to use their houses for the purpose for which approval was given to them either commercial or residential”, Kanu said.

Kanu also revealed that Otti will flag off the reconstruction of the Umuahia-Ozuakoli-Ohafi road on Wednesday, February 7, 2023.

He added that the road will be divided into three sections and awarded to three construction firms Cranbury, Ferotex, and China Civil Engineering Construction Company
for timely delivery of the project.

Kanu also announced that the state is embarking on the maintenance of 22 new roads scattered across the state.

The information boss also added that the government has outlawed multiple taxation in the state, adding that a new single multi-purpose agency will be introduced for the collection of government revenue with stringent measures against multiple taxation.

Also speaking, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Publicity, Mr Ferdinand Ekeoma, cleared the air on the move by the state government to purchase vehicles to the tune of 13 billion nairas, pointing out that the vehicles were meant for the government ministry and agencies and not for the personal use of the governor.