Chinedum Treasure
Anambra State Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Barr. Chijioke Ojukwu has ordered demolition of a distressed three-storey building under construction at Uruezealo Village, Ogidi, in Idemili North Local Government Area of the state.
Ojukwu who gave the order during inspection of the building in company of his monitoring team said the ministry had identified the structure as unsafe before ordering the developer to demolish it within one week.
“Upon inspection, we noticed that the building is distressed, with cracks on the demarcation walls. It is being constructed on a demarcation wall between two properties. It has no structural drawing, no technical drawing whatsoever,” he said.
“As a result of the load of the building, structural cracks have developed on neighbouring houses. As a matter of urgency, we ordered the immediate demolition of the building.”
The commissioner said the property owner, a lawyer, was directed to carry out the demolition himself, failing which government would demolish it and recover the cost from him.
“We have come to ensure the building is actually being brought down as directed. We shall return within the week to monitor progress.
“The owner informed the ministry that demolition has commenced, that’s why we’re on this visit to verify compliance,” he added.
Describing the exercise as part of government’s zero tolerance for illegal and compromised structures, the Commissioner regretted that the building violated every tenet of the physical planning law.
“We do not care who the developer is. As long as it is illegal, against public interest and threatens public good, we shall apply the law and demolish the building or structure,” he said.
He warned developers that it is no longer business as usual, stressing that the era of lawlessness and recklessness in building construction in the state is over.
A resident, Mmaduabuchi Okaro said the defects from the unsafe construction had damaged their building.
“The visible cracks on the walls, POP and foundation has forced my family to seek refuge elsewhere to save our lives because several complaints we made to the developer has yielded no result,” he added.
While commending the state government for its prompt intervention, Okaro called on the developer to compensate them for the reconstruction of their building.
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